Miracles
by TheBlueJetpack
Summary: 7. In this follow-up to Mission Accomplished, Luna is spending some quality time away at her high school band summer retreat, but begins to feel a little homesick. Some of her close friends encourage her to dive into some deep introspection and inadvertently help Luna meet the family she thinks she knows and loves all over again.
1. Sam Meets Luna's Family

_A/N: This story took almost a year to complete, but not in the way you might think, for there's a history behind this one. I'd say it's worth a read._

_This was originally intended to be the ending of Mission Accomplished, but I expanded on it so much that I considered making it a second chapter. However, I loved the way MA ended with Luan's anxieties put to rest that I decided to write this as a completely separate story all on its own. I don't really consider this a sequel to it, but more of a follow-up where we will dive into Luna's perspective of the story, and how she was feeling while she was away. This is something that I've hinted on many times in my series, but never actually explored until now, and serves as sort of a little side-story from another point of view. Warm Hearts, however, is the true sequel to MA. I had actually initially started writing Miracles prior to Warm Hearts, but lost motivation halfway through. So instead, I decided to jump straight ahead to Luna's return and write the story that I was more excited to create, which became Warm Hearts. After that, this story was left abandoned for almost a year, and by this point, with 4 more installments added to the series to move this growing plot forward, it didn't look like it would ever resurface, and lay doomed for the scrapped projects folder._

_BUT THEN, we received 'Racing Hearts' and that started to turn the gears a bit. I was looking for someone suitable to serve as Luna's second voice, and after we got a proper introduction of Sam, I felt she fit the ticket. And so, she was added to the story, along with that keytar kid mentioned in On Top of Vanzilla. The entire story then went through a drastic rewrite, even undergoing a change in the title, which was originally Keytar Comfort._

_As such, this takes place before Warm Hearts, but because of its epilogue, it'd be a good idea for you to read the other stories in the series first if you want the full experience that I've mapped out for you all. If you think that I'm just plain crazy for recommending you to read all the other stories first if you haven't already, here's the good news: since this is a side-story to Mission Accomplished, that's the only other story that should be read prior to this one. The epilogue on the other hand, will require major context from the other stories, but that won't be released for a while. Plenty of time to read!_

_For those devoted readers keeping close track, the flashback in Chapter 4 of Life of Pie (coupled with Mission Accomplished) showcased the birth of Luan's revelation of Luna's importance to her in her life. Now, in this story, I'll answer the question of how Luna met this same revelation for Luan._

_Chronologically, this story happens __**before **__'Racing Hearts', since it happens well-before Life of Pie, meaning Sam and Luna aren't a couple yet. I just had to make that clear. And because of its order placement, Luna and Luan's relationship status presented here is equivalent to what we see in the current show: nothing all that special. So, in a way, this story is essentially a giant roast towards everything the show has been lacking with regards to these 2 characters in terms of exploration and expansion._

_The illustrations I made and released on DeviantArt to join alongside Mission Accomplished alluded to this story. For those of you with eagle eyes and memory, perhaps you may have noticed that both Luan and Luna were each wearing a bracelet with a certain colour. These bracelets also appeared in a few of the stories themselves. To find these sketches, follow the pathway I outlined for you in Chapter 2 of Mission Accomplished._

_One last thing: every story written is inspired from something. Where did this one come from? _

_As much as I enjoy episodes that feature a unique and rare character pairing, I also enjoy episodes that target one member of the Loud family and show how he or she deals with living in such a chaotic household. We are already well-versed on Lincoln's perspective on this matter, but what about the rest of the family members? He's not the only one who has to live in a crowded, noisy family. They all do. That's why I enjoy 'The Mad Scientist', 'Pipe Dreams', 'Spell It Out', and 'Garage Banned'. While I don't consider the last 2 to be the best episodes, I like them for what they all are; each showed us what it was like living in the Loud House through the eyes of another character living within the household, which I find makes for a strong story. Luna has yet to have one of these kinds of episodes to herself, so I thought it would be cool to try writing one._

_As always, let me know what you think!_

_And finally…I heard that Luna and Sam's upcoming episode is full of cats._

* * *

Miracles

January 10, 2019 – December 23, 2019

**Part 1 – Sam Meets Luna's Family**

On starry nights when the moon is full and the air still, you can hear the sounds of the faraway cities and distant traffic from countless busy highways. They echo over the hills and through the valleys. Down calm canals and sleepy inlets. But every so often, if you listen very carefully, you can hear music or even singing drifting about smoothly and slowly dissipating as they are lost in the peaceful atmosphere; a magic of their own kind and one that no one could ever be certain of its exact roots. On such a night as these, the source of such traditional magic would be traced to a small campsite pin-pointed along a calm lake within the state of Wisconsin. Like a photograph taken straight out of a storybook, it consisted of a variety of wooden lodges and cabins, a boathouse and numerous firepits, all the while surrounded by trees of green and dense wood. A few miles from the city, but far enough to be enveloped in nature's serenity and tucked under its peaceful wing. With sparkling waters and a charming view of the sun's rise and set, there was no better place to be. On this fine night in mid-August, the camp was occupied by a plethora of young musically-talented high school teenagers, and the music was coming from a dark silhouette, which belonged to one of three lone figures, sitting before a small campfire contained in a sturdy firepit on a wooden deck.

_Now I see fire, inside the mountain._

_I see fire, burning the trees__…_

She sang the song low and slow, her ordinarily raspy voice gentle, steady, and smooth. Her fingers grazed the surfaces of the strings stretched upon her beloved Logan V-80 guitar with the lightest of all touches, its X-shaped, deep-purple body resting comfortably upon her thigh as she sat on the lawn chair. The soft tune and her melodic voice drifted out into the night, picked up by the light breeze and sent out to the forest in the valley below.

_And I see fire, hollowing souls._

_And I see fire, blood in the breeze…_

The moon, in all its shining splendor, manned its post as guardian over the world below, while its millions of minions, the stars, patrolled the vast black sky. The forest was dark and trees of all heights rose from the earth with the peaks of mountains acting as their borderline.

Here she was, Luna Loud, already a full week into her high school band's retreat, which was held this year at these beautiful campgrounds, far from the bustling town of Royal Woods and in the centre of a lush green countryside. The blue lawn chair that had the privilege of serving as her song-playing spot tonight was situated on a wide circular wooden deck that stretched out via a long boardwalk from the camp's main lodge, its soft yellow lights illuminating its immediate surroundings, most likely occupied with some of her fellow bandmates relaxing during the final hours before crashing for the night.

The deck itself was just on the edge of a grassy slope, such that anyone standing here was 'raised' a considerable distance above the ground level below, and this position offered one of the best views of the area. The mountains, the lake, the boathouse, everything could be taken in upon viewing from this particular spot and Luna embraced it. It would seem quite ironic for a wild upbeat girl, who lived and breathed the rush of rock-and-roll, and arguably possessed enough energy to power a space station, to be even remotely interested in such tranquility, but Luna had learned from her quiet little sister Lucy how to appreciate the serene world every once in a while. Their time lounging on the balcony of their room at the Weeping Willow Resort and Lodge along with Luan earlier that year had more than established that.

It hadn't been an easy road to get here; the rocker girl had spent almost half a year working at Melody Shop at Royal Woods' mall to raise the necessary funds to cover the trip. It had taken some time to get used to a routine working schedule, having being used to coming home from school to make some music in her and Luan's room while scrambling to complete homework at the last minute. But with her love for music, positive attitude, and this retreat as a goal to score on her mind, Luna found it in herself to persevere and eventually saved up enough to pay for the fee to go, along with a little extra. In addition to precious cash, the job had given her several experiences and opened up some bridges for herself. She was proud of the work she did in the backrooms sorting shipments of instruments and records, as well as up at the front desk impressing customers with her vast knowledge of music. It was one step closer into making a living in the music world. A small one, but a step nonetheless.

You could call her a perfectionist, or maybe just someone who always strived for the best. But whoever she was, Luna was a hard worker and was never satisfied with a half-assed job. A girl true to her word and proud of what she did, she put her biggest efforts in any task she was given with as little complaints as she could. Even that took much restraint. But in the end, things always seemed to have a way of working out for her. The shop's staff loved her and she seemed to fit in with the team quite well.

_And I hope that you'll remember me…_

Though the song did not officially end there, Luna strummed a final note to slowly bring the song to a close. It was a suitable enough place for her to end it. Letting her guitar rest upon her thigh, she closed her eyes and let the breeze blow lightly at her face, the music still concentrated within her soul and in the air. It may have been the middle of summer, but the cooler atmosphere required appropriate attire. Over top her trademark skull-embroidered shirt, she had on a purple hoodie and had traded her plaid skirt for some dark blue jeans.

The silence was broken when another voice spoke up: "I swear, Luna…you always seem to touch a different tip of the world when you sing."

Luna blushed as she turned her head to the source of this voice. Occupying the orange lawn chair to her left was her one of two people for company tonight. A girl her age donning a blue jacket and burgundy jeans; a mane of blond hair complete with a blue streak just over her eye flowing from her head. If anyone else in all of the entire world had offered her such a compliment, Luna probably wouldn't have found reason to blush immensely like she was right now, no matter how hard she tried to hide it.

"Heh, thanks, Sam. I'm just doin' what I love to do."

Sam Sharp, top-notch guitarist and clarinet player, let her arms rest upon her own acoustic guitar. "Let me guess…keeping the hills alive with the sound of music?"

"You know it, brah."

They shared a little laughter, during which Luna gave thanks to whoever could hear her mental whispers of gratitude for letting her share this late night with the girl whom her heart had been searching for. Seated right next to her long-time secret crush while exchanging some delightful campfire tunes was very much a dream come true for her. Even more special than if she had won a record deal from that song contest. If someday she could find it in herself to confess that it was indeed her who had sent this wonderful girl that love letter all those months back, and Sam reciprocated, Luna felt all would be absolutely complete for her.

But of course, Luna could not forget the second friend who was in her company tonight; she turned towards her bandmate sitting in the green lawn chair to her right. "What don't you play something, Stu? Let's hear that gadget rock the night."

The boy sitting next to her was the band's percussionist, though he also dabbled with some of their technical set-ups, in addition to manning the DJ table during some of their high school parties. Skilled and smart Stuart Boothman held in his hands an instrument unlike any other that Luna had ever encountered throughout her years of studying and playing music. A clever fusion of a keyboard and a guitar resulted in a shiny keytar, adorned with a glossy turquoise-blue finish and embellished with a red trim around the keys. Numerous multi-coloured buttons decked the lower panel below the keys and the jet-black neck housed a rainbow of control pads. Luna always believed the unique slants of her guitar to be a symbol of her extreme music, but this marvel of technology had a shape of its own. It had several corners rather than curves, all while providing a visually pleasing spectacle. It seemed to fit so perfectly in his hands. The coolest feature was that each key would light up with a burst of coloured light when played. Combine the notes of a whole song, and you had the recipe for a far-out light show, one of the best add-ons to a sweet rock-and-roll performance. With such a display of an instrument to behold, one could only imagine what kind of music that it contained within its circuits. But so far tonight, Stuart hadn't made a single sound with it.

He gave an easy shrug. "I will…later. Right now, I feel like listening to you. Haven't heard you play this passionately since _America's Next Hitmaker_."

"He's got a point," Sam chimed in.

Luna smiled. Both Sam and Stuart had been just two of the hundreds that had turned up for her big performance that faithful night around a month ago. So much for fortune and fame, but the rockstar-wannabe had made her choice to stand her ground and let the world know that under the ridiculous costume of glittery pink was the brunette in purple threads and wielding a guitar with actual strings. Even though she had not won the record deal, she had won something a whole lot better: the true spirit of who she really was. Admittedly though, the media had taken a fair interest in the events that had unfolded and now Luna was well-known around town for her grand presentation. She had to tell the story of her dramatic change from Luna to Lulu back to Luna several times to her family and friends and what was really going on in the depths of her mind that had caused her to realize what a fool she had been to change herself to change the world.

Sam stroked the side of her guitar. "I still can't believe you almost went through with that. I mean, the name and complete makeover was enough…but lip-syncing? You said that was your biggest pet-peeve!"

"Too true, Sam," Luna responded. "It was a choice I was completely wrapped up with, but I think it worked out in the end."

The girl continued on. "You may not be a celebrity to Royal Woods, but you're still a celebrity to me."

Nothing could conceal the blush that cascaded Luna's face this time, as sweet, sweet emotions flooded her bloodstream. "Aww, you really mean that?"

"Sure! You're definitely one of a kind, Lunes. I bet your family is pretty proud of you."

Luna's heart swelled. "Yeah, they sure were. I gotta tell ya though…they were just as shocked as you dudes were that I almost went through with the whole 'Lulu' getup, but proud in the end."

Stuart ran his finger absent-mindedly along the top of his psychedelic instrument. "You know, you've never really told us about your family before," he breezed.

"Yeah," Sam said. "I mean, I know you have a huge family, but didn't you once say there were like ten of you under one roof or something?"

"Thirteen," corrected Luna smugly, subsequently chuckling at the wide eyes of shock and disbelief her friends were now flashing her way. "Heh, yeah, I get that a lot. Two 'rents and 10 kids, not to mention all our pets. We're a big boss group to juggle, but we still manage to take the world by storm."

"Good golly, Miss Molly, how do you handle living with _twelve _other people?" Stuart gaped.

"It's def' no easy push over," Luna affirmed. "But I hang in there. I've had tons of years to get used to it. It's kinda my thing, you know? Being the big sis to a bunch of young souls runnin' wild."

"But you're not the oldest, right?" Sam asked. "I met your sister Lori once, I think."

"Nah, I'm third in line," the purple clad-girl explained. "After Lori, there's my big sis Leni, and…hey, you know what? How 'bout I show you dudes?" Without another word, Luna set her guitar aside and whisked out her purple phone. She began scrolling through her photo album while Sam and Stuart edged forward in their seats to see what she was doing.

Through the electronic album her finger rolled, on and on past photos taken over several months past, pictures she had never bothered to transfer to her hard drive, most of them forgotten or stored for safekeeping…and it was one particular photo of the latter category that she was trying to locate. She swiped past photos covering a variety of topics from recent group shots of her friends here at the camp and various sheet music she had taken to send to her bandmates, to random landscapes that had caught her interest during the family's road trip earlier that year and fancy dinner platters taken at restaurants that had slipped her memory by this point. Finally, she landed on the photo she had been seeking.

"That's us," she said triumphantly. Her friends peered over her shoulders for a closer look. The photo Luna had found was literally of a framed photograph sitting on the family mantle, and that photograph was the very one that her little brother Lincoln had taken of himself, his sisters and their pets as a gift for their parents' anniversary. And although Sam and Stuart didn't know it, this was the first of two pictures Lincoln had taken that faithful day. They also didn't know that Luna had snapped a quick shot of this framed photo for safekeeping on her phone just for such a time as this. Now was the perfect chance to show her pals her crazy family.

"Wow," Sam marveled. "So many of you…look at you all!"

"Who's the kid hiding behind the book?" Stuart asked.

Luna smiled at her two companions, particularly because one of them was so close to her face. "Since you dudes want to meet them, I'd say it's only right to give 'em proper intros by order." And without further ado, Luna proceeded to go down the age chain while Sam and Stuart gazed at her phone, listening and looking intently.

"This is Lori. She's the oldest of the bunch and never lets us forget it. Spends all her time on her phone and ordering us to high heaven. But under that boss-woman biz, all she wants to do is look after us. We count on her for everything. She's basically our second mom and I can't give her enough cred' for taking care of her younger sibs all her life."

"This one's my other older sister Leni. Sweetest girl you could ever meet and most thoughtful sister ever. Don't reckon I've ever known anyone to look out for me more than Leni. Only downgrade is that her kindness takes up the space in her brain that probably should have been left for common sense. That's why we look out for her just as much as she does to us."

"Sounds only fair," remarked Stuart.

Luna smiled and moved her eyes to the opposite side of the picture. "The one standing next to me with the gag glasses is my little sister, Luan. She's the real clown of the family; wants to be a comedienne, see. She always brings the fun out of every sitch' but can get pretty annoying when she bombards us with jokes and pranks every few minutes. But she's not that bad honestly. We share a room, so I've gotten used to her shanags'. Out of all my sisters, I'm closest to her."

Sam tilted her head to give her a curious look. "You have nine siblings to choose from and your closest sister is someone who pulls pranks on you?"

Luna shrugged. "Yeah, I guess that sounds kinda wacked out, huh? Her pranks are pretty insane too…_especially _on April Fool's Day. But it's who I see on the inside that counts. She's got a heart of gold and, well, she _was _my first younger sister after all. I guess I always felt the need to look after her since it became my turn to be the big sister for the first time ever. Luan is really nice when you get to know her…like _really _know her. You just gotta stay one step ahead of her. Plus, we both share a love for the stage, so we understand each other."

With such reasons presented forth, Sam had to be content.

Moving on, Luna continued down the line of siblings. "The one catching the football is Lynn. Star athlete and true competitor of pretty much every sport they invented. She's got trophies to prove it and lets us know it. She's rough and tough inside and out, and the only drawback about her is if she loses…she can get pretty nasty. But she and I got mutual respect for each other. Sometimes I kick a ball with her out in the yard if I need some air. I just gotta be prepared for all her victory dances any time she wins."

"And for a while," she continued. "It was the five of us girls. One big happy fam. That is until Mom had another one…and our family became even happier. She had Lincoln, my one and only brother." Luna pointed to the middle figure in the picture: an 11-year-old boy screaming and thrashing his arms in the air.

"That is a big mouth," Stuart pointed out.

Luna laughed. "He's yelling at us to stay still for the picture. He only wants what's best for the family. I tell you dude, Linc is the one of the best things to _ever _happen in my life. We girls love nothing more than to take care of him and tease him to heck. And he always tries to make us happy in the best ways he knows. He's done some pretty amazing things for us, especially when you consider the fact that he's the only boy amongst us ten girls…he's got some really tough skin. I love him so much."

Stuart scratched his head. "Wow, one boy surrounded by ten girls? That's literally a walking reality show right there. I suppose he's treated like a king, then?"

"Ha, so you think," snickered Luna. "He pretty much ends up being our servant. But you know what? The funny thing is that he wouldn't trade it for the world. None of us would."

She then pointed to the small girl whose nose was deep in her book titled 'Dirt Nap'. "There's Lucy. Even if the book wasn't there, you can't really see much of her 'cuz her hair hides most of her face. Spooky lil' missy, that one. But if you really take the time to talk to her, you'll find that under that cold dark shell is a real trusty soul who just wants to fit in."

Neither Sam nor Stuart said anything, so she moved on.

"The two blondies fighting on the ground are the twins, Lana and Lola. They're about as opposite as you can ever try to get. One's an ace plumber and mechanic while the other's Royal Woods' top leading pageant queen."

"Hmm, versatile family," Sam observed.

Luna nodded. "They fight all the time, but they're a friendly bunch. Plus, they got a love-hate deal: they love what they do and hate the thing the other loves!"

"This shorty with the glasses is Lisa. She's all science and sometimes forgets that we're not her test subjects for her crazy experiments. She means well, but since she has her PHD, she treats the world like she's the boss."

"_PHD?" _both her friends said in unison. "How old is this sister?" Sam asked as if afraid to hear the answer.

"Four."

Luna didn't even try to hold back her laughter as she watched both teenagers grasp their respective instruments tightly to prevent them from falling after sliding a good inch off their laps in shock. "Yeah, we get that a lot."

"Geeze, and here I am worrying about _my_ future," Stuart said, taking off his black cap in high respect.

"Hey, no sweat, dude," Luna assured him. "Lisa has the brains, but there's still tons more for her to learn about the world. She can't use a butter knife to make herself a sandwich, for one."

As she waited patiently for Stuart and Sam to get over their mild shock, Luna quietly decided to skip the detail that her 4-year-old genius sister managed the bills in the household and soon carried on with the last family member in the line-up.

"And finally, here's Lily. Cutest little bundle of joy that ever stepped on this planet. She's the heart and soul of the family, make no mistake. If you're ever having a bad day, just find the Lil'ster, tell her what's on your mind, and she'll take care of all the rest."

"Aww, you're right, she is cute," Sam cooed in that voice that reminded Luna that there was someone who was _cuter._

"And there you have it," she said, looking up from her phone. "The ten sibs in my life. Along with my folks, we're one big happy family."

Stuart sat back in his chair; his keytar still mute and idle. "You know, Luna, I knew you were talented in so many ways, but now I see why. You're just not normal. You come from a whole family of weirdness!"

Knowing he meant this as a compliment, Luna beamed. "Heh heh, thanks, dude. We're different in every way, but we stand together as one." She pocketed her phone and then lifted her head up at the inky black sky. So far from civilization they were that no artificial lights hid the marvel of sparkling stars above, disrupted only by the small wisps of smoke and the occasional loose spark from their little campfire. Luna didn't hail from an urban jungle, but the bright streetlamps and many lights streaming from neighbourhood houses still masked out the majority of the stars for most of her nights. Out here, the stars were nothing short of beautiful.

"But don't get me wrong," she said in a more serious tone. "Life as a growing teen like myself bottled up in one huge fam is no easy push-over. Sure, I get an audience 24-7, but I barely get any privacy and nothing can stay secret under our roof. Budget is stretched thin and we all gotta share most everything. Being a big sis means I gotta watch over all the younger dudes half the time...Leni too, I guess. The responsibilities that weigh my shoulders every day…well, you get the idea. Sometimes I just really need a little 'me' time to _chill_."

"Then I guess you must be feeling pretty happy right now…" Sam said as she too sat back, now tuning her guitar. "Here you are with us! Far, far away on your own little holiday."

"Talk about your _sweet escape_," Stuart suddenly remarked in a mischievous tone.

"Don't! You know I hate that song!" Sam warned desperately.

Letting the mellow evening air drown out the sounds of her friends' banter, Luna closed her eyes as she stretched out comfortably in her chair with her hands behind her head, the heat from the fire and the cool breeze blending together to create a relaxing atmosphere for her restful mind. "You're both right; you would not believe how stoked I was for this trip. Not just so I could hang with the band, but also so I could have a little 'vacay' to myself. This is actually my first time away from the fam."

Sam looked up from her instrument, interested. "Really? And how're you feeling about that?"

Luna had to take a moment to think about this. The first thoughts that reached her to answer Sam's question were utmost happiness for this chance to escape from her rambunctious family and give her burnt-out mind a deserving break from all the chaos her siblings inflicted upon her, though the same could be said about her to each of them, but never mind that right now. She couldn't remember the last time she felt this relaxed.

"I'm totally rockin' this get-away, brah," she responded to the girl next to her without opening her eyes. "Things get so bonkers back home, it's rad to finally find somewhere quiet to rest the weary soul."

She tapped her foot thoughtfully as her mind dug a little deeper beneath the surface. "Although," she hummed, "It's kinda…weird. I'm used to all this chaos and mayhem around me all the time. Some sister always begging and pleading for my help. The sounds of my house falling to pieces with every step you take. Out here, it's so…so…"

"Distant?" offered Stuart.

"Quiet?" suggested Sam.

"Peaceful?"

Luna opened her eyes. "Yeah," she said, though she felt the little confident spirit in her voice starting to wane in an odd way. Her smile had slowly faded as she stared up at the stars. _A little too peaceful_, she thought.

"Well, it's more than I would know," Stuart said casually as he gazed out towards the lake. "Being an only child, and all. I'm used to this kind of seclusion."

"Speak for yourself," Sam told him. "I'm with Luna on this one. I needed this trip. Anything to get away from Simon!"

"Yeah…get away," mumbled Luna, more to herself really.

"All alone. Just us music gurus, and no more," Stuart said, fiddling with the black drawstring from his red hoodie.

Luna frowned. "All alone," she muttered, the fabric of her mind now slipping through time and space in an aimless wander.

As the sounds of her friends' chatter became lost to the whistling breeze, Luna simply lay upon her lawn chair to think. She tried to clear her mind, but for some inexplicable reason, her thoughts kept turning back to her family. Her brother and her sisters. Lincoln, Luan, Lisa, Lynn, Lola…they were all such a crazy bunch, yes…but they were her family. Her crazy family.

Everything she had described about her family just moments ago was true: struggling to grow up in a crowded family was no pleasant picnic, for it was one that required you to fight for every privilege and scrounge for every spare second of free time available, and it was near impossible to stand out amongst the rest. The family budget was very limited and anyone in her family could confirm how difficult it was to progress through any personal objective without being hindered either by another sibling or the simple complications of a large family blocking the way to success. Many nights, Luna would lie awake upon the bedsheets of the bunkbed she shared with Luan and wish to herself to be granted just one chance to get away from it all. The chaos sprung about from her insane family; in which nothing was 'yours', but rather 'ours'; chores upon chores stacked atop her already-bulging schedule; hand-me-downs that ranged from plain absurd to flat-out pathetic; and the constant reminder in her mind that she always needed to look after her younger siblings, was sometimes just so much to bear. And if it were not that last bit, the constant nagging to set an example for them to follow remained present. Living amongst many others for almost 15 years had allowed Luna to develop tough skin and perseverance like a well-oiled machine of iron and steel, yet even she had limits to how much mayhem in her life she was willing to tolerate. Sometimes, in the bleak of the most troubled and taunting of times, she would decide that she would give _anything _for just one day of peace.

Yet, here it was. Her chance to get away from it all had finally come. She could still remember the first announcement of an upcoming trip for the school band and her initial excitement for it. And now, she was not left disappointed. No more exploding chemicals. No more diapers that needed changing. No more separating fights between the twins. No more dodging footballs sailing straight for her head or getting the life scared out of her with spooky surprise appearances. No more crazy pranks to ruin her day and no more bossy older sister to try to ignore. No more tending to her family for all her waking hours or trying to keep herself from exploding under the pressure. Two whole weeks all to herself.

But…was this it? And was she happy with it? She was feeling something all right, but it wasn't exactly joy; whatever it was, it was suddenly making her stomach feel hollow. Luna didn't like it.

"Luna? You okay?"

The rocker teen snapped out of her thoughts as Sam's voice called her back to earth. She looked to her left and right to see that both her companions had ended their discussion and were now staring at her. They must have noticed how she had been slumping in her seat, and she tried to straighten her posture.

"Oh, uh, yeah, dudes. I'm good."

"Something wrong?" asked Stuart, distinct concern lacing his voice.

"No, not at all. I'm cool! I'm…cool."

She suddenly stopped when Sam placed her hand on her shoulder, prompting her to catch her soft gaze.

"Luna. We've been your friends since elementary school," she said in a soothing tone. "We can tell when something's caught you up in a jumble. What's going on?"

Luna couldn't help but let loose the tiniest of smiles at this simple fact; Sam always had been like this, not just possessing a most beautiful aura that emitted from her very existence, but the ability to detect for signs of trouble from her friends _and_ the desire to go out of her way to help them out. Luna just couldn't resist that about her. So, she relented.

"Well, okay, you got me," she finally surrendered as Sam removed her hand's perch. "I guess I feel…gosh, I don't even know what I'm feeling. I was just thinking about everything I just said about needing some 'me' time away from my family. But now that I'm here, I feel like everything's not quite right. Don't get me wrong, I love it out here. I love chillin' with you two dudes. But…something's missing, hey? You know what I mean?"

Sam's reaction was swift and blunt. She placed her hand on Luna's shoulder again. "Oh Luna, I know exactly what's going on in your mind."

Another great thing about Sam: she always seemed to have an answer for her. "What's that, dude?" asked Luna, looking across at her, desperate for an answer.

"You're feeling homesick."

* * *

_Song used: 'I See Fire' (Ed Sheeran)_


	2. Luna Meets Luna's Family

_A/N: Hope you all enjoyed a fantastic holiday! Coincidentally, this chapter includes a little flashback related to such._

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**Part 2 – Luna Meets Luna's Family**

_Luna clutched her mother's hand tightly as they navigated their way through the crowds of shoppers occupying Royal Woods' annual Christmas Market during a chilly afternoon in December. The 7-year-old girl bundled in a thick purple winter jacket looked around eagerly at every big and small thing that surrounded her; from tents sheltering food vendors of steaming hot chocolate and apple cider to the stalls housing displays of holiday-themed crafts and gem stones, there seemed to be something for just about everyone here. All the vendors and their respectively owned stands were the equivalents of magnets, each luring customers and spectators to take a closer look and see what they had to offer. Luna's eyes were particularly drawn to the musical instruments and the wooden carved songbirds that played pretty little melodies when blown through the mouthpieces; she had always been interested in music, finding tunes and songs very charming to her young heart. With so many crafts and trades gathered in one concentrated area, the smell of fresh pastries and cookies wafting in the air, and the sounds of Christmas carols being sung at every corner, there was a good reason why this was a special place to her._

_Also with Luna and her mom were her sisters Leni and Lynn. Their father had split off with Lori, Luan, and Lincoln in the opposite direction after the family had arrived and parked Vanzilla. It was a traditional strategy: each parent took half the kids and wandered opposite ends of the market. It worked well in the long run; with less kids to handle, everyone got to cover the entirety of the market's ground faster and it was less of a hassle for both Rita and Lynn Sr._

_Luna was quietly glad for this, for that meant she could find a Christmas gift for Luan without her little sister hovering at her shoulder like a nosy falcon hawk. Luan meant well, but her over-eagerness simply made her too excited to let anyone whom she suspected was getting her something have the necessary seclusion to – well – buy her that something in secret. _

_With some money saved from her own allowance stashed in her jacket pocket, Luna looked at each and every stall and display table, searching for the perfect gift for her sister. But nothing amongst the expertly-woven gloves and marble-carved statues seemed quite right. Luan liked things that were fun and actively made her laugh out loud. Luna wondered if she should find something belonging to that category, or perhaps something more inclined to music that would remind Luan that it was from her. Whatever it was, Luna wanted it to be perfect for Luan, but so far, she hadn't been having much luck. Luckily, there was still plenty of time and more of the market to see before they had to go home._

"_Mommy, look!" squealed Leni in her high-pitched voice before bolting down one of the many aisles of vendor tents, quickly disappearing from sight._

"_Leni, sweetie, wait for us!" called Rita as she hurried after her scatter-brain daughter, grasping Lynn's hand as she did. Lynn was incredibly fast for a girl her age, such that she had no trouble in keeping up. Luna was about to join the chase too, but something caught her eye that brought her feet to a grinding halt. It was under a red-tarped tent that she had almost passed right by: a small table with some shiny bracelets and necklaces. Organized in a rainbow arrangement along the tabletop, the bracelets were made of some kind of fine material with an intricate embroidered pattern that seemed to give them a natural glow. Nothing fancy or over-the-top, and certainly not related to music or any means of funny business, but there was something about them that was calling Luna's name. She approached the table for a closer look. _

_The young woman across the table smiled down at Luna when she had wrapped up business with a departing customer. "Hello, dear," she said kindly to her. "You like those friendship bracelets?"_

_The word 'friendship' caught Luna's attention as she carefully picked up the yellow one in her fingers and smiled brightly. "Yeah, I do," she said shyly._

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Luna blinked dumbly at her friend's answer. "Homesick?" she repeated as if that word was somehow foreign.

The blond girl nodded. "Yeah. You miss them, don't you? Your family. Lincoln, Lori, and everybody?"

All became quiet as Luna let these simple statements mesh into her brain. "Is…is that what I'm feeling?"

"Makes sense," Stuart piped up. "You did say a moment ago that this was your first time away on your own. It's been a week now…"

"This has got to be a new experience for you," Sam added. "You're not used to the feeling of missing someone after being surrounded by them for so long, are you?"

Luna stared at the girl and then the boy before casting her gaze slowly upon the burning flames of the fire pit. Her friends seemed to be right. This _was _her first time out on her own. _And _for this long period of time. This truly was all new to her. And because of this, the feeling of missing the people whom she had been around for practically her whole life was new to her too. She didn't exactly like it all that much.

"I guess you guys are right," she said slowly. "I do miss them. A lot."

Then she sighed, shifting in her seat uncomfortably. "I know I always tell you that my family is nuts and all, but…now that I'm here and they're back there…I just, I don't know, man…I've never felt this way before."

Her voice felt weak and her heart felt unpleasantly heavy, as she thought about the family she had left behind in Royal Woods. The sound of Sam getting off her chair reached the fragments of her hearing that forced her to turn and see her friend suddenly hovering before her, bending down slightly to give Luna a warm hug, surprising Luna enough to halt her mumble jumble completely. "Luna, there's a simple reason why you're feeling this way. It's because you _love _your family. Even though they drive you up the wall like you say they do, they're still your family." The blonde rubbed Luna's back comfortably.

Luna was blushing like mad as she felt her herself literally melting in Sam's embrace. She took a chance to rest her head upon her shoulder. "I…I love them so much," she said weakly. "But now that I've actually gotten away from them…I kinda wish I was back home…with them."

"I know what you mean, Luna," Sam said as she pulled back. She knelt down right in front of Luna, resting both hands on her shoulders now, holding her at arm's length. The firelight behind Sam's head was casting her whole face in shadow, but Luna could make out every distinct feature of the girl so close to her face. "It's hard to be away from the people you know and love."

Luna kept her eyes fixed upon Sam's blue ones. "Do you…do you ever miss Simon?"

"Sometimes," she answered. "He's a royal pain in the butt, but he's still my brother. I love him to death, just like you love your siblings. So even though I'm glad to get away from him every now and then, I still think about him…how he's doing and all that. So yes, I miss him. Even now, I miss seeing his face and hearing his annoying voice every morning when I wake up."

Feeling just a bit better, Luna smiled a little. She then turned her attention to Stuart. "How 'bout you, Stu?" she asked him as Sam resumed her seat. "I know you don't have sibs of your own, but do you ever miss those close to your heart?"

"All the time," Stuart answered simply. "I'm only human, Luna. Just like you."

Luna looked back at the fire, her heart feeling less heavy at her friends' words of assurance, but she still felt a little sad. "I've gotten so used to their annoying habits," she sighed. "I guess I miss having them around. And just knowing that they're by my side, even if I don't pay attention to them all 24-7…it really fills me up, you know? Kinda feels empty now."

Sam picked up her guitar. "Lunes?" she hummed in a voice smoother than velvet. "I think I know how to help you out."

Luna turned back to her friend. "You do?"

She nodded as she placed her instrument into position. "I'm going to play a little song for you…and while I do that, I want you to think about each of your family members. In detail. Don't miss out any last quirk, habit, piece of excellence, or the thing you hate most about them. Go through every sibling and parent, and list off everything you know about them, which means _everything_ you love and hate about that person. Think you can do that?"

The purple-hoodied girl stared at her. This seemed like a silly idea, almost pointless, but since Sam would never lie to her and because the blonde had full confidence that her idea would work, Luna had to believe her. Besides, anything was better than just sitting here and feeling like a piece of her soul was missing from within.

"O-okay, Sam. I'll do that."

Sam smiled. "Good. Hey, Stuart, give me a G."

The boy nodded soundlessly and snapped his keytar on. The thing lit up with electric blue LED and began to shimmer in the fire and moon light combined. The selected key he tapped with his finger glowed with a shiny green luminance and the electronic note to go with it. Sam winked at Luna before singing in a soft, melodious voice, strumming her own instrument as she released a new song Luna had never heard before, quickly filling the air with a touching melody.

_Where is the voice that will lead us home?_

_Back where it all began._

_Whose is the heart that can warm the world?_

_Who will be the one to…_

A master of music Luna truly was; and as such, only a few musicians possessed the power to touch her heartstrings with the beauty of music in a way that captivated her mind and compelled her heart to reach out to this serene source, and one of those musicians was the person sitting right next to her. Luna closed her eyes as she permitted herself a few brief seconds to become mesmerized by this soothing tune sung from the most beautiful angel God had ever created. She could have easily sat there and let herself be engulfed by the music, but with the purpose of Sam's song in mind, she willed herself to get to work, keeping her eyes closed as she did.

The first person that appeared before her was Luan. Given that she was the first person whom Luna saw every morning and the last at night, it wasn't too unexpected that Luan was the first person that she would associate with the term 'family'. The things about Luan that Luna hated were easy enough to pick out: bad jokes, inappropriate behavior, occasional insensitivity to her feelings, and above all, pranks, pranks, pranks. With all things considered, Luan was the very definition of annoying. Sometimes very dangerous. Thankfully though, Sam, Sully, and Mazzy had been extremely understanding this past April Fools' Day, all being close enough friends of Luna to know that Luna Loud would quit the music business altogether before playing polka on stage and deliberately ruining their concert. Nonetheless, Luna had been pretty darn mad at Luan for that prank in particular.

Despite this, however, she and Luan were unbelievably close sisters and connected with one another on a very emotionally deep level. Luna knew plenty about Luan that the others didn't. She knew Luan suffered from a lack of social skills that resulted in her having very few friends. Yes, she had her buddies from clown school and her various high school classes, but no one close enough to her that she could trust them with her very life. She also knew that her little sister was feeling lonely while watching Lori wallow in her deep blissful romance with Bobby while she herself was failing to find ways to draw closer to her lifelong crush, Benny. Coupled with the fact that Luna had always harboured big sister instincts towards Luan since childhood, it wasn't a big mystery why Luna herself had become Luan's best friend. But this relationship wasn't one-sided; Luan was truly her best friend too. The pair had struck an emotional chord in their early years growing up together and for the longest time were inseparable. She liked Luan a lot; she had no difficulty in opening up to her, and though her puns were corny, Luna deeply appreciated the effort and work Luan put into her comedy, being very familiar with the stress of wanting to be a performer. Sadly though, as time went on, their tight relationship had seemed to loosen somewhat; they no longer hung out as much as they used to, just the two of them. Luan was often doing her own thing, as was Luna. Luna would occasionally help her little sister out by providing a drum roll or a rim shot for her comedic material, but for the most part, they remained very distant from each other. Luna honestly wasn't sure why, but she had a feeling that it wasn't completely due to the fact that she actively avoided Luan come every April Fools' Day.

But knowing that there were many more siblings to analyze and that Sam's song would only last for so long, she decided to revisit this later and carry on.

The next name on her mentally formulating list was Lori. Bossy and brash, and full of self-importance; Luna had always known Lori to have adopted the highest-order, take charge, boss-lady role very early on, even before their family had grown to be so big. Yes, she could be quite the dictator with her coveted 'oldest sister' position and she, like many of her younger siblings, found Lori to often be overbearing. But Luna truly did give Lori the ultimate respect and love for not only carrying the large responsibility of her family upon her shoulders every day, but also for looking after her for her entire life. The rocker had always looked up to her oldest sister and still did. She trusted her with all her heart and had frequently turned to her for answers regarding many of life's problems outside of music and more towards living as a teenager, such as puberty and high school life. And most recently, the ins and outs of handling a part time job that had supplied her the funds to make it to this retreat. When it all came down to it, Luna could never give Lori enough gratitude for the love and care she had shown her for all her life as her big sister.

The second of her two big sisters surfaced her brain cells next. Naïve, clumsy, and a bit too – well – _ditzy_, Leni's wandering mind often irritated Luna and she frequently became tired of ensuring her immediate older sister did not walk straight into walls or click on random internet pop-ups without knowing the dangerous circumstances. But that by no means meant Luna did not love Leni, not by a million-mile long shot. She loved her older sister with all the passion she held within her and there was never a time when she did not find Leni's bright spirit uplifting and as a source of hope and assurance for when her skies were grey. Deep down, Luna knew that that special 'bounce' in her step on days when it felt like her boots will filled with concrete from the depression that she occasionally encountered during life's tricky travels could only come from Leni's bubbly spirit. Besides, much like Lori, Leni had done her fair share of raising Luna during her developing years too.

Lincoln popped into her mind next. Lincoln, sweet baby bro Lincoln. Luna smiled fondly as her mind tracked its way through her early memories of tending to her baby brother's every need, the most dominant of all being her first time to hold her new born brother at the hospital. She had stuck to him like glue ever since, always wanting to be the one to take care of him. And now, though he was stubborn, somewhat snobbish and sometimes just plain dumb with his 'great' ideas, he was caring and loving to his sisters, supporting each and every one of them in her respective talent, no matter how much grief and pain he often suffered through in the process. He was cool and fun to hang out with. Most importantly though, Luna knew that he would sacrifice his very life if anyone in his family was in danger just as she would. That was enough to tell her that her brother was truly someone special. To put it quite straight, Luna was proud to be Lincoln's big sister and loved him deeply.

We'll discuss this in an upcoming story.

Back to the family: next up was Lynn. Luna was one of the few people who, to some degree, could keep up with Lynn's wild antics. Alongside Lana, she was happy to pick up a badminton racquet or a basketball and fool around with her sporty sister outside for a while, regardless of the well-known fact that she would never win. It gave Lynn enough joy to just have someone to play with, which fulfilled Luna's inner desires to see Lynn happy. Of course, she knew as well as anyone that the jock was aggressive, obnoxious, and boastful to the extreme…much to the point where she was nothing but exhausting in a very annoying way. But Lynn's heart was in the right place when it came to the people whom she loved and she displayed this in spectacular fashion by being fiercely protective to any potential threats, not to mention the fact that she was a strong ally to have in your times of need. She had gone full out of her way to stop Doug and Michelle from sabotaging Luna's performance last month, a prime example of what lengths she would go to let everyone have their time to shine. If you needed someone to support you along the road, Lynn was your strong solid pillar.

Just remembering her rockin' performance with Lynn's help reminded her of Lana. Six years old, but tough as nails, super friendly, and a true bundle of joy to have in the house. Though also gross and disgusting in every way, Luna loved her little fix-it sister to death. Lana was clever and extremely resourceful for a child. Strip all her abilities away and you were left with an adorable little tomboy who was just the monkey you'd want to wrap up in a huge hug. The fact that the pair did not share anything in common with each other did not seem to matter. It was almost a habit: if Luna's electrical equipment broke down, Lana would be the first to inspect it. If Luna found some gum stuck to her boot after walking home from school, Lana was the first person she would seek to deliver a charitable treat. Differences in age, interests, and philosophy meant nothing; she and Lana shared a very tight bond regardless.

And of course, in whatever mud puddle you would find Lana, you were guaranteed to find her polar opposite twin as far away from it as possible. Luna's mindset on Lola was pretty much equivalent to that of everyone else's: a bratty, whiny, spoiled six-year-old girl with an ego the size of a whale. With a walking tattle-tale spreader in the household, Luna always needed to be cautious of what she said and where she said it. Cross Lola's line and it was lights out. But Luna did not live in fear of her own sister; she held the rare ability to see beneath the exterior skin of the human being better than others could, especially when that human being was one of her own family, and Lola was no exception. Yes, Lola was all those things, but she was also sweet and thoughtful towards the people she cared about. Luna could see through the fight clouds that broke out between the beauty queen and Lana a genuine and wholesome love for her twin embedded deeply in her soul. It was a love that was spread among her entire family, and quite mutual on Luna's spectrum. Luna got along fine with Lola, and looked out for her in any way she could regardless of how independent Lols had proven herself to be. She respected the hard work she put into becoming Royal Woods' reigning beauty queen, a title they did not just hand to anybody. And just like Lana, it did not matter that their interests lay far away from each other; she loved Lola no matter what.

Adorable little Lily now flooded her mind, making Luna smile. She positively adored her baby sister; never a day went by when she refused to pick Lily up and give her a gentle cuddle. Even a hip-chick cool-girl like Luna could not stop her heart from completely melting over the sight of the baby's giant puppy eyes. Lily still couldn't pronounce Luna's name fully, the most successful checkpoint she had reached so far was 'Oo-na', but this was nothing short of precious to Luna's ears. She didn't mind cleaning up after Lily or even watching over her all day if she had to if it meant that she could spend every minute of it watching her youngest sister grow up.

Who next? Lisa. Luna cringed slightly at the fleeting memories of the numerous instances when she had evaded serving as Lisa's lab rat with her wacky experiments. Truth be told, being a high schooler meant she had to take lots of science classes, so she did host a small fragment of recognition and knowledge in Lisa's vast studies, though only that much. She didn't have all that impressive of a connection with the child prodigy, yet Lisa was decent enough to be around. After all, she had been kind enough to help Luna sort out her anxious and conflicted thoughts on two occasions in the last year alone. She knew that Lisa, much like Lola, did care immensely about her own family, no matter how much she seemed to want to distant herself from the rest. She just had a funny way of showing it. But regardless of how Lisa felt about her, Luna's big sister instincts were just as strong for Lisa as for all her younger siblings and she would always be ready to help Lisa grow in the areas that pertained less to freaky science and more towards the life of an ordinary 4-year-old girl.

Then there was Lucy. Luna absolutely did _not _like getting jumpscared. Sure, Lucy was creepy and she did not much care for the goth's negative attitude or habit of thinking the worst of every little detail, but like all her younger siblings analyzed before her, Luna loved Lucy very much and tried her best to bring the light out of her little sister. And ever since that eventful time when Lucy had believed she had cast a successful spell to mute her siblings in retaliation for stepping all over her, Luna had taken it upon herself as a personal mission to make a true effort to look out for Lucy more, like the big sister she was should have been doing since the very beginning.

With no more to cover for her siblings, her thoughts now wandered to her father. Mick Swagger may have been her idol, but Pops was her ultimate hero. Though strong-willed and a hard worker, her dad was the biggest goofball she had ever known and everyone's best friend to have in their life. There was nothing she wanted more than to make him proud. He had enforced many strict rules to keep the kids in order, yet he always went out of his way to make time for Luna, consistently eager to engage in a jam sesh' with his teenage rockstar. It was her absolute favourite father-daughter activity to do.

And finally, there was her mother. The devoted stronghold management of the entire household and her dear mum to always look up to. Luna truly owed everything to her mom for who she was today and providing her with everything on her road to success, whether it be motherly advice, emotional support, financial needs for her expensive music equipment, and the basic necessities of life from food in her tummy to a roof over her head.

Luna Loud sat very still, the world becoming distant from her as it was now just her and these deep reflections (and perhaps a faint glimmer of beautiful music rebounding in her ears). All these things that had been accumulating in her mind had now formed a mountain in her brain capacity, but at the very peak of it all, there rested something truly special: the ultimate and superior love for her family that she had hidden itself deep within her, rooted firmly in the heart.

A love so powerful that it cannot be lost or destroyed, no matter how many times it is forgotten.

Luna opened her eyes, feeling the light ignite her soul. And for the first time, she suddenly drew the connections and understood why she was here. She had signed up to go on this trip to grow closer to her bandmates and additionally get a little peace from her crazy family. But in fact, though that was the main reason for this retreat, the_ true_ reason was now clear to her: this trip had drawn her closer to her family. The family that meant so much to her and the one that stood behind her to boost her up and help her along the path rooted out for her in the game of life; they were her number one fans.

Pulling out her phone once more, she quickly returned to the photo that had been left open. She gazed at the smiling and frowning faces of her siblings; each were so special to her in his or her own unique way and Luna now felt that she was meeting them for the first time.

"I miss you dudes," she whispered, unable to hold back the sad sort of smile growing upon her face.

The gears in her mind slowly whirred into action once more as her cognitive receptors slowly caught up to her, releasing her from her trance. She turned to face Sam, who had stopped playing; she was smiling at Luna with a twinkle in her eye that was warm and inviting.

"Feeling better?" she asked quietly.

Luna smiled too. "Yeah," she whispered. "Sam, I don't know what song you played, but it sure helped to clear my head."

"Actually, she played three songs," said Stuart, nonchalantly. "You were thinking for a long time. Did you manage to do some deep-diving?"

"I did," Luna said to him truthfully. "And after all that…I now realize that I miss my fam more than ever."

Sam's smile dropped. "Oh…um, sorry. I-I didn't mean to make you feel _that…_" she said in a most disappointed voice.

But Luna wasn't finished and hastily clarified. "No, no, what I mean is…I miss them even more because now that I've done some thinking…I see now why they're so important to me."

Sam immediately brightened up. "Oh! Oh, now I get what you mean."

The girl in purple gazed intently at the burning embers in the firepit as her heart pieced this new revelation together like a giant puzzle just seconds away from completion. "All this time I've been trying to get away, looking for something I felt I was missing." She then tilted her head way up to the heavens hidden in the stars above. "But what I almost missed was the best thing that has ever happened to me."

Sam and Stuart both smiled.

The puzzle was now complete.

"I think you finally got it figured out, Lunes," whispered Sam, her melodic voice sprinkled with utmost pride in her friend. "A family may drive you nuts and want to make you get away from them as much as possible. But when we really look inside ourselves…we may find that they're the best people our lives could ever ask for."

Luna nodded in understanding. "I see that now, Sam. My family means the world to me."

The trio of musicians fell silent for a few minutes after this exchange, the only sounds being the feebly crackling fire, a thousand singing crickets in the woods, and the gentle breeze brushing the treetops. Luna smiled widely as she gazed once more at the photo of her siblings on her phone.

Stuart then broke the silence. "Is there someone in particular you miss the most?"

"Don't ask her to play favourites," scolded Sam, reproachfully.

"Nah, Sam, it's okay," Luna said breezily, for she knew that without siblings of his own, it was only natural for Stuart to be unmindful with these kinds of relationships. She kept her eyes glued to the screen of her phone, letting them fall upon one particular person in the photo. "As a matter of fact, there is someone I do miss the most."

Both Sam and Stuart looked at her. "Who?"

"Luan," Luna answered without hesitation. Her eyes grazed the surface of her screen that was filled with the thousands of pixels that materialized her 14-year-old sister with the ridiculous gag glasses.

"You mean your prankster sister?"

The uncertainty in Sam's voice caught her attention, making her look up to meet Sam's face. The expression that she was holding was undeniably full of doubt. "Yep. That's her," Luna confirmed with a nod.

Stuart was also shooting her a peculiar look of disdain. "Pardon my bluntness and my memory banks, Luna," he said in an icy voice. "But isn't this the same sister who made a stunt double of yourself play bad polka in the middle of Sam's gig this past April?"

"And the one who made you fall in a giant blob of gelatin the year before that?" Sam asked.

"And hid pudding in your boots?"

Sam suddenly gasped in realization. "Wait, is Luan the reason why you warn us to stay away from your house every April Fools' Day?"

All fell silent as Luna looked back and forth at her two friends who were more or less sending her looks of confusion and disbelief. She knew exactly why they were having a difficult time understanding her, and a few nights ago, she probably would have as well. However, with a refreshed mind and a new revelation lighting her heart, she stood firm with her statement and prepared to explain.

"I know this sounds like a complete dead-end street, dudes. And you're right…Luan did do all those things to me. She gets carried away with her pranking spree, and I mean _really _carried away. So much to the breaking point where we're terrified of her every time April 1st rolls around or when she has a devilish smile plastered on her face. Sometimes it's a real bummer to bunk with her if I don't know what she's hidden in my bed…"

The growing doubt in the faces of her friends was making it clear that this was doing nothing to change their loose opinions on her little sister.

Luna frowned. "Look guys, the thing about Luan is that all she wants to do is make us laugh. But too often she forgets that the only one enjoying the far-out pranks she pulls on us is herself. Because of this, she can end up doing some wicked nasty things to me and the rest of our fam. Yes, sometimes I really hate her. Yeah, every April, I get scared of her, I admit it! But…but…" Luna suddenly trailed off; her lips suddenly struggling to formulate the words she desperately wanted to spit out.

Sam leaned forward, gazing at Luna intently. "But…?" she prompted with a gentler voice sprinkled with a hint of hope.

Luna stared up at the stars, taking a moment or two to organize her mind, which was now filling rapidly with thoughts on her roommate. "But she's still my sister," she said at last. "She's my little sister. No, my _first _little sister. When I became old enough to walk and talk and all that, it was always my deepest desires to look after Luan. These big sister instincts I hold close first came to me because of Luan. We did everything together. I always felt lonely when she wasn't around to play with me, and she told me that she always wanted to be with me too. And when we got older, we helped each other when times got rough. With Luan, I felt I could do anything, and the best part was that she seemed to want me to look after her too."

Luna smiled fondly, letting the memories of her past take her away again.

"You know, it was the first time in my life where the tables were turned: I felt like someone needed me instead of me always relying my older sibs. I liked looking after her…and I still do. I have nine other siblings who each pull on my heartstrings in their own sweet way. But Luan has always been special to me. She and I rocked this song in our hearts in our youngster years that's always been there even when we fight and argue. Even with all the crazy she-nans she's pulled on me, the one thing that keeps me going is knowing that she's happy. It's just…a part of who I am, I guess."

"So, what I'm trying to tell you dudes is…Luan may be annoying and a big nuisance. But she's always been my best friend."

The girl had become lost in the stars as she finished pouring out her heart; a shooting point of light suddenly arced the sky for the briefest fragment of a second, but Luna's eyes caught it just as it disappeared. It reminded her a lot of the times when a younger version of herself would stargaze with the younger counterpart of Luan. She was brought back down to Earth when she felt Sam's hand on her shoulder again.

"Lunes?"

Luna looked at her, and was greeted by a smile on Sam's face, one that radiated a strange warmth coupled with soft sparkling eyes that replaced the previous ones of doubt with instead faith and belief.

"Stuart and I were wrong to judge Luan before we realized how much she really means to you. Now I can see why you said she's your closest sister. The world knows you for your musical talents, but I know you for something even more important than that. Your gift may be with music, but your passion is for the people you care about and love. _That's_ the thing I've always loved about you the _most_."

Luna blushed hotly, but was all smiles, for she knew that she had pleaded her case to the fullest extent and had won the trial.

"This connection I hold with Luan is super weird, Sam, I ain't afraid to admit that. But all I know is that Luan really is something to me. I can't really explain it any other way, but we've made some crazy fun together."

"What's your happiest memory with her?" Stuart suddenly quizzed.

Happiest memory? Luna had to take a second to think about that. She and Luan had shared some wicked awesome times together, from her seventh birthday party to when she and Luan had won second place at the elementary school talent show with a duet performance that had combined both their special talents. Then there was the frosty day she and Luan had tried skiing for the first time and the pair had subsequently ended up spending the entire day in the medical hut together after taking a massive tumble on the beginner's hill during their first run. So instead of trying out daring tricks on the slippery slopes, she and Luan lounged with hot chocolate and television. It was awesome.

And while those were all very fun recollections of some of her best times with Luan, there was one memory in particular that stuck out in her mental databanks that didn't seem to want to be ignored. Dusty, faded, but not forgotten, it archived an event that wasn't overly fun or a wild blast like most of her other memories with Luan, but it was certainly the most touching that she could recall.

"Well," Luna said slowly. "There was this one time…I was, I dunno, seven, and I was looking for a Christmas present for my little sis…

**_To be continued..._**


	3. The Lost Bracelets

_A/N: I finally got the chance to sit down and watch Frozen 2 full on. The animation and music were absolutely __**incredible**__, yet I'll admit that the story did lose me one too many times. The main thing that I take from it and relate to my story here is that the love between two sisters is true and real, no matter what challenges and trials may come along threatening to tear such a relationship apart, whether they be physical barriers like a closed door or spiritual strains like a tarnished bond._

_Enjoy the 3__rd__ chapter!_

* * *

**Part 3 – The Lost Bracelets**

_Christmas Day. Truly one of, if not THE, most anticipated days of the year. The day that holds proud ownership of the very early morning when kids both young and old rush in a beeline to the decorated tree, whether real or artificial, but always beautiful, that is surrounded by brightly-wrapped presents and parcels filled with toys, video games, new clothes, and all kinds of mystery splendor to fill an individual's hands and mind with delight. And of course, there are the occasional gifts that absolutely do NOT check off that box. Nonetheless, it is the thought that matters most._

_This was no different in the Loud house. Especially for Lori, who harboured an obsessive need to tear open any giftbox and present she could get her hands on, regardless if they were actually addressed for her to receive. Thankfully, this impulse did not stem from selfish greed for material goods, no, no. Instead, it was due to her literal crazed obsession for clawing wrapping paper to shreds and her personal joy in destroying carefully-plastered tape and ribbons. Rather unusual for a girl as high class and well-mannered as Lori, even at nine years of age, but everyone has that little uncontrollable demon lurking in their shadows somewhere, waiting for the right moment to pounce and attack. Luckily, Luna managed to rescue her carefully-wrapped gift for Luan away from her eldest sister's grabby fingers just in time. She wanted the right person to open this particular gift this year. _

_It took a while, but around mid-way though the frenzy of six kids tearing open presents, Luan finally reached Luna's gift, seating herself on the couch to open it. The girl in the purple wool sweater sat down right beside her and eagerly watched as Luan ripped open the gift with the classic enthusiasm of a six-year-old child eager to unravel her Christmas surprise. Unbeknownst to either of them, their Mom and Dad had both stopped what they were doing to watch this scene unfold too._

_Luna's insides tingled with joy as she watched Luan's face light up when she pulled the shiny yellow bracelet from the Christmas market out of its little box; the little musicians contained in the chambers of her heart exploded into a cheerful anthem, for she could instantly see that her sister liked what she was holding. Luan turned to look at Luna with huge wide eyes._

"_You like it?" asked Luna, just to confirm. "I got it in your favourite colour."_

_Luan stared at her older sister for just a moment before saying one thing only. "Open your present."_

_This response caught Luna off-guard, and the music playing inside her died faster than it had started, leaving her insides uncomfortably hollow. She had been expecting Luan to be all smiles and hopping up and down while showering her with many thanks, but all she got was an order to resume opening presents. Trying her hardest not to let disappointment swallow her from within, Luna obeyed and picked up a small, very crudely-wrapped box with her name scribbled on it in Luan's sloppy handwriting. While she was smiling on the outside, Luna could not ignore the single annoying trombone that was now blaring the comedically pathetic sound effect often heard in Luan's favourite videos on Youtube whenever the unlucky character reached a most unfortunate fate. A funny sound for the audience to hear, but most certainly not a very nice sound to be hearing when that character was you._

_But any chances of this Christmas morning being spoiled by gloom were sent straight up the chimney flue and out of the house when she finally reached the contents, and in a flash, someone inside her gave the order to cancel the sad trombone and spontaneously replace it with the equally comedic record scratch sound effect, which effectively cancelled ALL sounds from her heart completely. _

_Luna stared blankly at what she saw. Lying in the wrapping paper was an identical bracelet, save for its deep shade of purple which she really liked. The girl picked it up and began inspecting it thoroughly. Yep, it was another one of the friendship bracelets she had seen at the market earlier that month, and more importantly, the same as the one her sister was also holding._

_She turned to her, goggling. "Luan? How did you…know…?"_

_Luan grinned and started to giggle while trying to talk at the same time, resulting in a very silly and sliced speech. "I didn't! But…when Dad brought me to the table with the friendship bracelets and I saw the purple one…I just…knew I had to buy it!"_

_Following this exchange, there was confusion as the sisters tried to piece together what had happened. After a few moments of letting their daughters fumble around with the curious mystery, their parents stepped in to lend a hand and, in the end, it became all too obvious. _

_Even with so many kids under their nonexistent wings, Lynn Sr. and Rita were the true experts in knowing how to make things – both good and bad – work out for the better. And this one case was certainly a good thing that had become better than either Luna or Luan could have hoped for. It turned out that when Rita had retrieved the run-away Leni from the vendor stall selling homemade fuzzy dice and reunited with Luna, she had learned of just what her musically-talented daughter had purchased for Luan, and after putting two-and-two together, she had made the decision to secretly text her husband, knowing full well that Luan had come to the Christmas market on her own mission to buy a present for Luna. After making sure she and her half of the kids were far away from the bracelet vendor, Rita had given Lynn Sr. the all-clear to bring Luan to the same table and make the suggestion of the perfect gift for Luna._

_Because, as everyone knows, no friendship bracelet is complete without the other half to go with it._

_Luna slipped her new purple bracelet around her wrist and watched as Luan did the same with the yellow. Luan then looked up at her sister and smiled her biggest smile ever with a sparkle in her eyes; this was what Luna had been hoping to see ever since she had returned home from the market with the yellow bracelet concealed in her jacket pocket for wrapping later. The girls held their wrists out to each other, admiring the bracelets that stood out magnificently in shining complementary colours. The other siblings stopped admiring their new toys to take a look at their sisters' matching jewelry._

"_That's not right."_

_All pairs of eyes in the room were instantly drawn to the source of this disapproving voice. _

"_That's, like, not how you're supposed to do it!" exclaimed Leni, a bit of glittery tinsel hanging from her hair as she set down the corner piece of her brand-new jumbo 6-piece puzzle. "Luna, you should be wearing Luan's bracelet, and, like, Luan, you should be wearing Luna's bracelet!"_

_Luna frowned at Leni's nonsensical statement, feeling rather insulted following this more-than-perfect gift exchange. Luan was equally looking disgruntled as she scrunched up her face in reproach. They both knew their older sister could be weird in the way she saw things around her sometimes, but this was just a little too far. _

"_Way to ruin the moment, Leni," Luan said, sounding rather hurt._

_Luckily, Luna was a rational girl, always trying to negotiate things through with the offending party rather than jump in with fists and verbal ammunition as Lynn was more prone to._

"_What do you mean, Leni?" she managed to ask, patiently. "Yellow is Luan's favourite colour. Purple is mine."_

_For once, Leni held her ground. "I know that, silly," she said, hands on her hips. "What I mean is that since these are friendship bracelets, and yellow is Luan's favourite colour, then you should keep and wear that yellow one so that it can always remind you of Luan! So, like, if you go to the mall, or school, or to Aunt Ruth's house, or the mall, then you can always take Luan with you! But…oh wait, just make sure you leave enough of Luan with Luan so she can still eat and breath, okay?" she said with sudden warning in her tone._

_Luna had to stifle a giggle from that last statement. But as hard as it was to believe, Leni's explanation was actually tossing around a tiny glimmer of logic in her young mind. Most unusual._

"_And you, Luan, should totally keep the bracelet Luna's wearing!" continued Leni with a cheery smile. Luna glanced at Luan; she wasn't looking so hurt now. "Since purple is Luna's favourite colour, it will always remind you of Luna! That way, you can always take Luna with you when you go to the mall, or school, or to Aunt –"_

_They were saved the trouble when Lori stepped in to cup her hand over Leni's mouth, halting her speech. "Leni, I think they get it," the eldest sister said flatly._

_Their parents laughed. Luna and Luan, however, didn't; they were looking at their respective bracelets, both of them clearly thinking over Leni's words. They simultaneously raised their heads to meet the other's gaze. The older girl was the first to speak._

"_As crazy as it sounds, Luan, I think Leni might actually be on to something here," she said with a small smile._

_Luan grinned up at her. "I think so too! 'Cuz…I wouldn't mind wearing some purple to remind me of you. Trade-sies?"_

"_Deal-sies!"_

_And that's exactly what they did. With Luna now wearing the yellow bracelet she had originally bought to give to her sister, and that sister wearing the purple bracelet that had been intended for Luna, the true meaning of these gifts suddenly became a whole lot clearer to her. Luan must have been thinking the same thing as she pulled Luna into a warm hug. _

"_This is the bestest gift I've ever gotten, Luna," Luan whispered into her ear. "'Cuz now I can always take you wherever I go. Thank you, best friend!"_

_Luna smiled and closed her eyes. "Thank YOU, best friend," she told her._

_The strings of twinkling lights from the tree and the mantle made their new bracelets gleam all Christmas morning._

* * *

Sam stared at Luna with misty eyes and her mouth hanging slightly open as the latter finished her story. "Luna," she whispered in a close-to-breaking voice. "That's the sweetest thing I've ever heard."

"Truth," hummed Stuart with a warm smile.

Luna breathed out a sigh as she leaned back in her chair; she too could feel herself welling up with emotions just by revisiting her own tale. "Yeah…I think so too," she murmured. "Luan really is my greatest friend ever. Well, _was,_ anyway," she added with a sudden dead voice.

The smile growing on Sam's face disappeared fast and its radiance vanished with it. "Wait…_was?"_

Luna looked at her, the spirit in her voice dropping with what she spoke next. "Yeah, you heard me. There's one more thing I haven't told you, dudes. It's kinda about Luan. It's kinda about me. But…it's mostly about us."

Sam leaned forward, her face now filled with utmost concern. "What do you mean, Luna? Did something happen between you and Luan?"

Luna kept her eyes fixed upon a particularly bright star above her head as she thought through the next speech she was about to deliver. There was a reason why the memory of those friendship bracelets served as both a blissful vacation to a lovely past, but also as an ugly brick wall in the present that stood to remind her of something that she was not particularly enthusiastic in dwelling on for too long. For the most part, she had grown used to largely ignoring this matter, but that didn't do anything to ease the pain she felt whenever she gained even the fleeting thought about it. And with her friends (and herself) so deeply engrossed in this matter, there was no backing out now. She might as well address the elephant in the room and the boundary in her life that had been weighing her down all this time.

"Not…exactly. I don't think it was _something_. The thing is that Luan and I used to be thickest thieves when we were younger…but now, we're ain't so tight anymore."

Neither of her companions said anything, so she continued.

"I don't know what came between us…or what happened to us. But I guess times changed," she said slowly. "I mean, we're still buddies and I still love her and all that. But we're nowhere near as close as we used to be."

"You mean you and Luan drifted apart?" asked Sam cautiously.

"Yeah," she confirmed in a strained voice; an unwelcome force was now tugging at her heart as she found herself beginning to vent, her raspy voice turning cold and hard. "She's off doing her comedy routines, and I'm jamming to my tunes. We both picked our own paths to follow, but we've mostly been alone for the ride. We don't talk as much about _personal _matters like we used to. Honestly, more often than not, her pranks and bad jokes just push me away from her. It bums me to say that every April 1st, I find reason to avoid Luan. I guess after all these years, we've sorta been disconnected…and I've been forgetting how much she used to mean to me."

She took a big breath before finishing.

"But even after all this time that came between us…it's always been nagging me at the back of my head…that I want her back, Sam. Maybe it's 'cuz I've secretly wished things were still the way they used to be with me and her. Fooling around…just chillin'…helping each other out. It was always like that. Whenever she was having a bad day, I would be the one she would rush to for a comforting pat on the back and some words from the heart. I was the one Luan poured out her feelings to. And we always hung out in our room and found fun with each other. But now, we just…don't do that anymore."

Luna Loud's shoulders slumped as she felt herself gradually wilting in her lawn chair. She could feel the sympathetic stares of her friends upon her, but right now, her mind was on the sister she felt she had lost.

But there was something that she had been coming to terms with for a while now, and being out here at the retreat on her own seemed to solidify this growing constant: she wasn't just missing Luan right now. She had been missing her all along.

"You know, at first, I thought I was missing Luan as my roommate after crashing here for the last few days. I miss seeing her in the mornings and even listening to her tell jokes in her sleep. She's an odd mate to bunk with, but I've found that I've really gotten used to her wicked habits…I mean, no offense, Sam – you're a great roommate too!" she added hastily. Sam gave an amused smile.

Her brief blubbering ceased and she continued. "But doing all this soul-searching just now…I think I finally figured out that I really miss her. It's not the same without my little sis around in my life the way she used to be. Nowadays, she and I mostly just greet each other in the morning and at night, then fight and argue like the dickens when we do choose to land contact. She's still important to me, even if I haven't been showing that to her. But this hip and cool gal you see before you can't help but think that she's been taking her own sister for granted all this time."

"I just wish we could get back together…and pick up where we left off."

With the most protected and painful secret that had been hidden in her heart for so long now fully exposed for all to see and no more left to admit, Luna gazed at the dying fire in the pit before her. She was lost in a pool of deep regret for letting her own flame die out, the one that she had created with Luan long ago. Once a roaring fire built upon fresh burning wood and letting off blazes and flying sparks with a radiant energy that was so very powerful, she and Luan had always worked to keep the flames alive without even knowing it. Like the hard-working stokers in the boiler room of an old-fashioned steamship, they had always been tending to the flames to keep them going. And at the time, unlike the back-breaking duties of such a lowly stoker, it had not been hard to do the job. Though the scuffles and arguments that they had faced countless times in their years growing up together had always threatened to douse the fire, the sisters had found ways to rekindle it and stoke it up again, such that it was restored to its bright, burning glory. But as time passed and their hearts became increasingly distant from each other, no one had been tending the flames. And as such, they had both failed to notice the fire as they left it to slowly die. Now, after so many months and years of neglect, Luna felt that it was all but a weak burning ember, barely stable and no longer shining brightly with jubilant energy to prove that the bond between the girls was strong and significant. Without her fire burning to its fullest, the steamship would cease to move. With all things considered, it was amazing how she was moving at all by this point.

Luna slowly turned her head away from the firepit to meet Sam's eye, hoping to find an answer from her good friend, as she had always trusted her to provide. Never before had the girl sitting beside her failed to suggest a solution or offer words of peace and assurance that all would be groovy again before she knew it.

But this time was different. Sam did not have that look of confidence and hope that Luna had been expecting. It appeared that she was thinking deeply, possibly searching for an answer, _any _answer, for Luna, but it was clear that she was not going to find one soon enough. Luna's heart sank, doing her best to prevent her heart from feeling like it was being engulfed by the darkness closing in on her.

Then a voice that did not belong to Sam suddenly poked through the darkness to reach out to her. "Then why don't you?"

Luna and Sam turned their heads to their right to face Stuart, who was clutching his keytar and bearing an expression on his face that was unreadable. And he was directing it straight at Luna as he opened his mouth to speak again.


	4. Book or Page?

_A/N: This chapter includes the lyrics for Pentatonix's rendition of 'When You Believe', one of my absolute favourtie versions of that song that's out there. It's just one of those songs that hits you right here if you give it the chance. I highly encourage you to have a listen, especially for this chapter._

_Have you seen Toy Story 4? That was fricken' rad. It also helped with the chapter._

_You know those sketches I mentioned at the beginning of the story? Specifically 5 of the 6 drawings were from Mission Accomplished. The sixth comes from this story, this chapter in fact, revealed for the first time._

_On with the story!_

* * *

**Part 4 – Book or Page?**

"Why don't you?" Stuart asked again, his voice sounding very neutral.

Luna just stared at him in confusion. "Why don't I _what?"_

"Exactly what you just said," the DJ answered flatly. "Why don't you get back together and pick up where you left off?"

His simple question made Luna frown. "It's…it's not that easy, brah."

"And why not?"

She frowned even more when he asked that. The strong feeling of annoyance was starting to crowd her already-conflicted mind, partly from Stuart's bluntness and odd attitude about her plight, but mostly because she couldn't seem to be able to formulate a better answer for him. When she failed to respond, Stuart ran a finger along his keytar's gleaming neck, tracing random circles on the multi-coloured buttons. "I know that sounds 'off-the-flop' and chippy-choppy, Luna…but to me, this sounds a little silly: if your bond with your sister is so special…why give it up so easily and let it go like that?"

He was offering Luna the look he might have been expressing if he were asking her for the weather forecast. The girl eyed him right back. Stuart didn't have any siblings of his own, so he couldn't understand the depth of such relationships and the trials that came with them, yet there was something intriguing about the question he was imposing upon her, imploring her to find out what. "What are you saying, dude?"

"What I'm saying is…if you two have such a special bond that was so strong back then, what's keeping that bond from being that strong now? You're still you. And Luan is still Luan. People may change, sure. And friendships can fade. But it's the true friendships that last forever. And going by everything that you've been telling us while we've been sitting here on this deck tonight, it really sounds like you have some seriously strong bonds with your family. That's one of the best friendships there is to exist!"

Luna opened her mouth, but Stuart, as if reading her mind, quickly cut her off. "I know what you're thinking, Looney Tunes: yes, time has gone by. Sure, life has gotten in the way. And yes, relationships can get strained. But…what's stopping you from _rekindling_ your relationship with Luan now?"

Silence fell as the two guitarists looked at the boy while he looked at one of them right back; his words were ringing in Luna's ears, dropping slowly into the fabric of her brain one at a time as she soaked them in. There was sincerity and puzzlement in Stuart's dialogue, as if he found her predicament to have a very obvious answer.

But to her dawning amazement…there was no answer.

"I guess…nothing," Luna finally concluded.

Stuart nodded. "So, if you really want to get back together, why don't you try? Get back on your feet and have fun and hang out again, you know?"

Luna looked at her feet and then up at the dying flames in the firepit. Its glow was slowly dissipating, gradually leaving their faces in shadow.

"Gee, Stu, I…I guess I never really tried all that much," she finally answered, feeling somewhat guilty for not realizing this sooner. "I kinda just let time slip between us…"

The boy began to fiddle with his red hoodie's drawstrings again. "I may not have a sister of my own, Luna," he said, his voice firm, yet oddly gentle. "But I do know a thing or two about friendships. Believe me, I've seen a _lot. _The strongest ones last forever, even when they fade or get set aside for a while. They're still there. And the best ones get stronger because of that. Even if you and Luan don't hang out as much as you used to and maybe fight a lot, true friends never really grow apart. Sometimes the strongest friendships are symbolized by bickering and fighting. Weird to think of it as a sign of such, but it's true."

Indeed, that did sound completely bizarre to hear in words. But it was quite another thing to live and experience it for real. It was undeniable to Luna that while she and Luan did tend to keep their distance from each other without really being aware of doing so, they frequently argued and fought over the most trivial matters. But then again, so did their other siblings: Lori and Leni fought all the time. This was even more true on Lana and Lola's spectrum; the twins often engaged in alarmingly violent brawls that in many instances looked serious enough to rip their own special bond clean in two. Yet, every time, there was always something that kept the young girls together in united harmony. Nothing forced, but something completely natural that set the twins back on track with each other all over again, allowing them a fresh start. Could the same be true for her bond with Luan? Was it true that it was still present, even doing its work to hold them together despite being neglected all this time?

Stuart gazed wistfully up at the dark sky before speaking to her again. "You know, much like Sam has things about you that she admires most…" (Luna failed to notice Sam starting to blush beside her) "…the thing _I've _always admired about you is your perseverance. Ever since we met at that discount music store, I've seen you go through things…and you've always been so cool about it all and power your way through as best as you can, no matter how much you struggle and suffer. You've always been like this, Luna. You're amazing at it; it's like your natural role to play."

Luna felt herself go red.

"Which is why I'm surprised that you're treating this little bump in the road like…like it's the end of a book. It's not."

"It's not?" she asked tentatively, knowing very well that she was not a book, but very interested in where Stuart was aiming with this.

"You bet that lucky guitar pick of yours that it's not," he answered flatly. "How do I put this? Life moves in rhythms and strange melodies. But all together, it's like a big book. The story is filled with all kinds of smooth sailings and cliff hangers. Your story is far from over. So, this barrier in your life is not the end of the book, just the end of a page. You know what you do about that?"

He paused, throwing in a dramatic effect that worked instantly as he eyed Luna intently.

"What?" she asked.

"You turn that page and keep on reading! You read on and see where it takes you. What I'm trying to say here, Luna, is that life changes all the time, but you just need to stay in tune with it enough to see how the story fits together and be prepared for anything to happen…including fading friendships."

"But here's the best news," Stuart continued. "You control your story. Your life is what you make of it. So…so in this case, if you want a certain bond to be mended, then I think you should stop moping around about it and find a way to repair it. You've made it clear to us that you really want to. But sometimes it's you who has to take the first step to patch it up. After all, there's no greater part of living your life's story than with your best friend. And as the old saying goes: 'there's no time like the present'."

"Unless of course…" he went on with a sudden gravely tone. "…you're willing give up and _make_ this the end of your story. Don't you want to find out? Don't you think that your sisterhood with Luan is worth pursuing?"

It took Luna more than a few minutes to process all of that this time. She knew Stuart was an unusual kid…but his peculiar wisdom was always one of his best traits. But even after knowing him all these years, time and time again she was proven that there was still more to this boy that she gave him credit for. And with the message that he had just delivered to her, it would seem that this was one of those times.

And what had he delivered to her? A whole lot for her to think about, that was for sure. If she was being truly honest with herself, she would see it as clear as day that as much as she hated Luan's relentless pranks and obnoxious behaviour, there had been an intense yearning to find a way to mend her relationship with her little sister; wanting their bond to be put back on the map again, and once more to be a solid staple in their lives to lean upon as a reliable constant, rather than something that was just simply there for the ride. But amid the struggles of juggling her chaotic loud life, she had not once gone out of her way to actively reach out to Luan and try to reconnect through her own efforts. She had always been waiting for something to happen for them. But it was now very obvious, after years of waiting and no progress in the rebirth of their bond to report, that was not the solution for her heart's desire. The solution, it seemed, had been with her all along. It was something else.

But not something. _Someone_.

She then glanced over at Sam, who had not uttered a single word throughout any of this exchange. The girls met each other's gaze for a moment, before Luna turned back to Stuart. She felt the tips of her heart slowly draw out of the shadows, resulting in her eyes growing slightly wider in realization, as if seeing the light for the first time.

_What the heck am I doing? _she thought to herself. She then locked eyes with the boy.

"You know what, Stuart? You're right…you're totally right, dude," she said with a touch of growing energy in her raspy voice. "I can…I can see clearly now. All this time I've been waiting for something to come along and patch up the rift in my ties with Luan…but it's me. It's _us. We_ gotta fix what we let fall apart. The answer was right there in front of me all along."

"Just too close for you to see," finished Stuart with a respectable nod.

For the first time in years, the tiny, feeble flames of her bond with Luan were starting to glow just a bit brighter, but it wouldn't be enough to keep them going. Luna now knew why though: the only way to truly keep them alive would be if she and Luan built the fire back up _together. _Together, they would keep the fire going, exactly as they had been doing in their early years. This revelation, however, presented a new problem that she couldn't help but voice out.

"But…what if Luan doesn't want to hang out with me anymore? Even if I miss her and the two of us being a dynamic duo, who says she does too? I know I want my little sis back, but I don't know if she wants her big sis as much. It'd be kinda hard to keep a bond growing if it's only one-sided."

At this, Sam finally spoke up. "Lunes, from everything you've been telling us tonight, we can all see from your heart that you love your family no matter what. I don't know any of them, but judging by everything you've been saying, I'm more than willing to bet that they all love you _just as much_. And I don't think Luan would be an exception, especially since your friendship with her has been mutual way back in your childhood. I'll bet she'd be thrilled to have you back too."

"You really think so?" Luna asked hopefully.

Rather than answering her right away, Sam directed a thoughtful gaze up at the stars. There sure were a lot of them tonight. "The other thing I really admire about you, Lunes, is your loyalty," she confessed as-a-matter-of-factly. "Even after all these years, you've looked out for your sister, regardless of all the mean things you said that she's done to you. Even after your relationship stopped being as strong, you've still stayed close to her in spirit. Being there for your younger sibling no matter what happens is the most noble thing a big sister can do."

Luna sat very still as she listened to her friend speak; she instinctively turned on her phone, once again gazing longingly at the image of Luan. Deep down in the depths of her musical chambers, she knew that Sam was right. "Yeah," she whispered.

Sam continued, also in hushed tones. "And all the time that you spent with Luan…I can only imagine how great it was. Those friendship bracelets…helping her to grow…"

"Be honest with me, Luna," she pressed. "Was it as wonderful as you've made it sound?"

Luna looked at her for a moment, then closed her eyes as many old memories began to drift into her system now, presenting themselves in a great flood from within: their bracelet exchange on Christmas Day…walking alongside Luan as she practiced riding the bicycle she had handed down to her for the first time…sledding down Demon's Ridge together on snow days…laughing wildly as they ran around the park chasing pigeons…banning together to cosplay as the stars of _Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi _and winning the costume contest in the fifth grade…making wishes on stars during nights like this, then sharing their respective wishes with each other…listening to Luan's jokes as the comedienne tried her very best to cheer up her bedridden older sister after she had broken her collarbone…huddling with her little sister in the darkness of their shared closet as the latter poured streams of tears after her only friend from elementary school had moved away…all the pep talks she used to give her before going on stage in her earliest years of performance…letting her sleep with her whenever she was afraid of the dark…providing comfort if Luan was scared and helping her out in the best ways she knew when Luan needed it most…Luna had seen it all. These were her memories. Her time with her little sister.

"It was."

Sam smiled warmly. "I'd give _anything _to see just one of those moments between you and Luan. And I think Luan would too. It's never too late to make more, you know. Wouldn't you love to see some new ones? Like Stuart said…your story is far from over."

Luna Loud absorbed these new statements, once again thinking deeply. With all the new revelations growing within her, the words of her friends filling the holes of her heart, the love for each individual member in her family now fully renewed, and a new mission to find a way to repair the withered bond between her and Luan now on top of her priority list, she found herself…smiling. She wasn't quite sure why, since all these things saturating her mind was undoubtedly overwhelming. But somehow, she felt joyful with these new discoveries. In fact, she was currently trying her best to fight back the tears of such joy that were welling in her eyes. She addressed her friends gratefully.

"Sam? Stuart? Thanks. I don't know what I'd do without you dudes."

Then, very slowly, she pulled down the right arm's sleeve of her thick purple hoodie to expose her wrist. Though worn and a little faded from years of aging, the yellow bracelet looped around her wrist still retained a shiny gleam that was very much alive, reflecting the last remaining glow from the fire. Its adjustability allowed it to still fit her, even close to a decade later. Even if she hadn't come to terms of how greatly she missed Luan as she had now, this bracelet had still been with her ever since she had packed for the trip over a week ago. Why she had thought to bring it along at all was still a mystery to Luna; the little voice in the back of her head had been bigger than she had once thought, for there must have been a reason for it to gain enough control of her brain to persuade her to take this little forgotten trinket along for the ride, perhaps to serve as a lowly reminder of her usual roommate while she was split apart from her for two weeks, the very mission that it had originally been intended to fulfill upon Leni's suggestion on the day it had been gifted. But oh, how much more it meant to her now.

* * *

_On the balcony of her room at the Weeping Willow Resort and Lodge, Luna stood behind the metal railing, facing the moonlit lake and plucking her guitar gently under a massive sea of twinkling stars. This really was a magnificent vacation spot. Even with all the mishaps and antics her family had ploughed through to get here, it had been worth it. Besides, she contributed by rocking out on her guitar in front of a new audience today. That was radical enough for her._

_Jerry Kling had assigned her and each of her family members their own private room, the individual balconies facing the lake and providing everyone with a spectacular view of the lake, which was currently sparkling as the shimmering light of the moon cascaded its surface. March's springtime evening air was surprisingly warm out here and the water was just so calm. Being a world-famous cherry farmer really did have its perks. Luna couldn't remember the last time she had ever had an entire room to herself. No doubt Luan felt the same, despite the fact that her younger sister was currently visiting her, having dropped by to hang out with her former roommate for a while once they had all settled in after the exhausting journey._

_Right now, Luan was inside, watching her favourite circus program on the television while Luna had stepped out onto the patio for some late-night tunes. Rather ironic, since Luan had come for Luna's company, yet they were both doing isolated activities at the moment. Luna didn't mind. It was normal between her and Luan to split off and do their separate thing. It had been like this for a long time. Perfectly normal._

_Besides, something about the fresh night air seemed to be begging for a gentle song courtesy of Luna Loud tonight. And so, the musician happily delivered. She had chosen a soothing tune that she had once heard from an old racing movie that Lincoln and Lana really liked._

_When you find yourself__  
__In some far-off place__  
__And it causes you__  
__To rethink some things__  
_

_You start to sense__  
__That slowly you're becoming someone else__  
__And then you find yourself_

_Luna wasn't exactly a huge fan of the country music genre, but the environment seemed so fitting. And in any case, being out here in isolation and reflection could easily change a person if they took the time to listen. She continued to play, even as the sliding of the patio door momentarily mixed with her plucking as Luan stepped outside to join her. The comedienne leaned against the railing, listening to Luna as the latter finished up her song:_

_When you meet the one__  
__You've been waiting for__  
__And she's everything__  
__That you want and more_

_You look at her__  
__And you finally start__  
__To live for someone else__  
__And then you find yourself__  
__That's when you find yourself_

_We go through life__  
__So sure of where we're heading__  
__And then we wind up lost__  
__And it's the best thing that could happen__  
__Sometimes when you lose your way__  
__It's really just as well__  
__Because you find yourself__  
__Yeah, that's when you find yourself_

_Music done, Luna lowered her arms, but kept on looking out at the water._

"_Pretty sweet pad, ay dude?" she said to her sister without taking her eyes off the view._

"_Sure is," responded Luan. "In fact, it's definitely a _sweet suite_!" She slapped her knee as she released her mandatory boisterous laughter. "Get it?"_

_Luna groaned. So much for a peaceful night._

_The younger girl finally stopped as she too stared out at the water. "Sorry you lost your cymbals," she said in a more serious tone. _

"_Eh, no biggie," she brushed off with an easy shrug. "It was losing its wild beat anyway. And Chunk's got some spares in his flat he's been looking to get rid of. I'm just glad we can finally kick back on an awesome vacay."_

_Luan nodded in agreement. "Hey, speaking of vacay, when did you say your band retreat trip was again?"_

_Luna had to take a moment or two to refresh her memory. "This summer…mid-August, I think. Why? You gonna miss me while I'm gone?"_

_The comedienne's response was plain and blunt. "Pfft, NOPE. I'm just counting down the days until I can have the whole room to myself. It's going to be my own vacation from you. I won't have to wear earplugs to muff out your music while I try to do homework. No more music blasting from your headphones when I'm trying to sleep either and no more random yells of 'STAGE DIVE!' in the middle of the night!"_

_The musician rolled her eyes as she finally turned to face her. She had her own factors to counter this. "Yeah? Well, let me tell you this, dude. It's going to be even better from this side of the tracks, 'cuz I'm gonna enjoy not being your pranking target for two radical weeks. No more exploding pies at the dinner table or rubber snakes in my bed. Best of all, I won't have to deal with your lame jokes nonstop during the day and when _I'm_ trying to sleep. I am looking forward to this getaway more than you are."_

_Luan smiled devilishly at Luna's face before wordlessly turning back to the countryside view. Luna turned away too, as they both silently agreed that they were both going to enjoy Luna's away-trip in the coming summer._

"_I'll miss you, Luna."_

_Both sisters jumped in fright when Lucy spoke up. With her mostly-concealed face cast half in shadow, the goth girl's mouth twitched as she watched her older sisters clutch their hearts and breathe heavily with their eyes as wide as tennis balls. "Sigh. I was standing here this whole time."_

_Luna had forgotten that Lucy had also come to visit her._

_Once collecting herself, the oldest of the three kids brought her hand down from her chest and smiled fondly at her little sister; she swung an arm around her shoulders and turned pointedly towards Luan. "Well, I'm glad to hear that, Luce. At least SOMEONE cares that I'll be far, far away from home for half a month."_

_Luan let out an impatient huff and approached Luna, bringing her own arm around the musician's waist and leaning snuggly into her._

"_Well, _of course_ I'm going to miss you, you loony Lunatic" she finally said. "It'll be nice to get some peace and quiet, but still...I'll miss seeing your dumb face every day."_

_The older girl smirked, giving Luan a brief nuzzle with her cheek squished upon her ponytailed hair. This was the ordinary language of the Louds, and she knew Luan, for all her quirks and reluctance to get into matters that were deemed 'mushy', was being sincere with her. "Same here, you kooky goofball. No matter how annoying you are, I know it won't be the same without that pain in my rear that only you can give to me."_

_Luan beamed proudly. Lucy too was showing a bit of a grin. The trio gazed silently out to the nighttime wilderness, bathed in the moonlight with the songs of the crickets filling the air._

* * *

Present day Luna idly twisted her yellow bracelet around in her hand and sat before the remaining wood burning in the firepit with Sam on her left and Stuart on her right, her mind wandering miles away from her with fleeting images of her siblings' smiling faces dancing in the faint wisps of smoke rising into the sky, Luan's cheery youthful face being most dominant of all. Thanks to her friends, Luna now fully understood of the importance of her family in her life and that her sisterhood with Luan was long overdue for a tune-up. The question now, was how to proceed with the repairs.

"I don't know how I'm going to do it," Luna admitted as she gingerly stroked the worn bracelet with an index finger. "But I do know this: after this retreat is over, I'm going to step up my game when I get home. I'm going to prove to my whole family how much they mean to me and find a way to bring my little sis and I back together. Luan's my best friend, and that's how it always will be."

These words she spoke were with the voice of confidence she was so used to possessing. But more importantly, it was the voice of her heart.

Sam beamed proudly. "There's the Luna Loud I know."

Luna nodded. "I'll find a way…but even if I do, I still kinda think it would take a miracle for us to be able to rock together like we used to."

Stuart turned his keytar on after she said this, the thing once again emitting its electric blue glow in the quickening darkness. "Sometimes you just have to believe," he said simply.

"Exactly," Sam whispered as she grasped her guitar, swinging it into her lap. "They don't always happen, Luna, but there are times when the least expected things _can_ come true. You just have to believe in yourself. And in Luan. It isn't easy to believe in what seems impossible…but we can still try." She strummed a few chords as Luna closed her eyes, feeling immersed in a sea of inspiration. Sam and Stuart's words were reaching her like never before and she was feeling the spark that she thought had died long ago beginning to fizz. Truth be told, she was not sure at all how she and Luan were supposed to get back together after being apart for what felt like so long, but she believed that she would find a solution no matter what. After all, her bandmates were right; with such a precious bond as the one she and Luan had once shared, why let it go to waste?

Luna inhaled a breath of the fresh countryside air as she slid her bracelet off and held it up to catch the light. A wistful smile graced her mouth as she lay back in her chair, admiring the living sparkle that the bracelet had preserved all this time._ I'm coming for you, Lulu_, she thought to herself with determination bubbling to the brim. _I don't know how, or how long it'll take to get there. But I won't stop until we're one again. _She gazed silently at the object in her fingers, realizing that Leni had been right that faithful Christmas morning: the yellow glimmer of tremulous light did seem to reflect Luan off its surface. In fact, it did more than just remind her of Luan's presence, it symbolized something even more special.

It was a mere piece of jewelry composed of synthetic-based material, no doubt, but to the person who owned and wore it, it was a symbol of an everlasting friendship and bond with someone she had always kept close, regardless of how far they had drifted apart from one another, and she was one of two people who knew that. Or at least she hoped that was the case. Luna momentarily wondered if this was still true on the other half of the bridge and that Luan secretly wanted her back just as much as she wanted her. Related to this thought, she pondered if Luan still had the purple bracelet lying around in her half of their closet or if it had been discarded and long-forgotten like so many of the things belonging to the family that were of no value to their respective owners anymore. Rather than feeling anxious over this little spot of worry however, Luna only felt more determination strengthening her from within. The words of her friends were echoing in her internal canals, reminding her of one thing and one thing only that now stood firm: whether Luan was ready for her presence to come back into her life, Luna was ready for Luan's presence to reenter hers. And even if it would indeed require an impossible miracle for them to finally pick up the pieces of their bond and start again with the same magnitude as before, Luna would actively search for and grab that chance instead of waiting for it to happen on its own as she had been doing all this time.

She was suddenly looking forward to returning home. But not right now. For now, she would enjoy the time she had at this camp with her friends while it lasted.

As she refastened the yellow bracelet to her wrist, she almost didn't register the melodic tune that was filling the atmosphere, quietly lifting her heart without her knowledge. Her mind was brought back to Earth as she noticed that the mood had changed; Stuart was harmonizing to a series of soothing electronic notes he was playing on the keytar, the white keys creating in a rainbow of colour that lit up the darkness with their synthesized sounds to produce a mysterious hum, accompanied by Sam's guitar. Luna gazed mesmerized at this spectacle and then watched as Sam began to sing with a voice blessed with a tone so strong and powerful, that it struck Luna's soul blind and she settled back to listen.

_Many nights we've prayed  
With no proof anyone could hear  
In our hearts a hopeful song  
We barely understood_

_Now we are not afraid  
Although we know  
There's much to fear,  
We were moving mountains long  
Before we knew we could_

Sam locked eyes with Luna as she sang.

_There can be miracles  
When you believe  
Though hope is frail, it's hard to kill_

_Who knows what miracles  
You can achieve  
When you believe?_

_Somehow you will…  
You will when you believe_

The metaphorical mike was then handed across to Stuart as he took the next verse, his keytar singing to its heart's content.

_In this time of fear,  
When prayer so often proved in vain,  
Hope seems like the summer birds  
Too swiftly flown away  
_

Sam retrieved the lyrics again.

_Yet now I'm standing here,  
My heart's so full, I can't explain  
Seeking faith and speaking words  
I never thought I'd say_

With the traditional and futuristic sounds of their instruments filling the sky, both her friends were singing together now.

_There can be miracles  
When you believe  
Though hope is frail, it's hard to kill_

_Who knows what miracles  
You can achieve  
When you believe?_

_Somehow you will…  
You will when you believe_

The pair simultaneously leaned towards Luna as they sang the bridge together with growing strength and energy, beckoning her to join in.

_They don't always happen when you ask  
And it's easy to give in to your fears_

_But when you're blinded by your pain,  
Can't see your way here through the rain,_

_We're small, but still, we're singing far,  
Says help is very near!_

Feeling the light shine inside her, Luna closed her eyes and let her heart sing out strong, with Sam backing her vocals and Stuart sending power jams into the air, their music carrying out to the world below them.

_There can be miracles  
When you believe_

_(When you believe)  
Though hope is frail…  
It's hard to kill_

_(It's hard to kill)_

_Who knows what miracles_

_(Miracles…)  
You can achieve  
When you believe?  
_

_Somehow you will…_

_(Somehow you will)  
Now you will…_

_(Oooohhh)_

They sang together as one:

_WhoooOOooa…_

_You will when you…believe_

Sam struck a final chord on her guitar, taking the final lyric solo.

_Ooooooh_

_You will when you…believe_

All fell silent now, but the music very much remained in Luna. Music truly was a magic all on its own. And tonight, it touched a certain fragment of her soul that may have been linked to something even greater. She raised open her purple-coated eyelids as a warm wind slowly rushed past.

Before any of them could have a chance to speak, she felt a familiar vibration from inside her back pocket. Purely from habit, as if she were sitting in a coffee shop on a lazy Saturday afternoon and not out here with her best mates under the magic spell that encapsulated them all, she pulled out her phone to find she had received a new message. Under the name header _Lulu_, there was one simple sentence followed by a smiling emoji.

'_Miss U!'_

Luna smiled.

Maybe things could work out after all.

* * *

_A/N: And there's the sixth image._

_Songs used: 'Find Yourself' (Brad Paisley) and 'When You Believe' (Stephen Schwartz, Pentatonix cover)._


	5. Epilogue: Cleverly Interweaved

_A/N: We've arrived at the epilogue. What a ride! Can you figure out where this scene comes from? It's one that was the entire premise setting for one of my other stories. Shouldn't be that hard._

* * *

**Part 5 – Epilogue: Cleverly Interweaved**

_**Ten months later**_

"Hey, Lunes…what kind of dance does the kitchen sink love best?"

"Beats me, dude."

"Tap dancing! Get it?"

Luna rolled her eyes and said nothing at all.

Thankfully, Luan opted to substitute a quiet giggle for her typical loud laughter as she led her older sister around in a graceful waltz upon the dance floor. There _were _other guests to be mindful of after all.

As they swayed and turned to the music in perfect time, the disco ball high above their heads continued to rotate at its steady rate; the orbiting specks of light silently making their rounds gave Luan's braces a shimmering sparkle and her teeth an odd shine. The crystal earrings replacing Luna's usual paperclips tonight also reflected a similar gleam, though she didn't notice. Instead, she absorbed the delicate atmosphere that they were currently basking in: the steady music, the dim lights, the pearly white mist at their feet, and Luan in her pretty dress as the duo shared a friendly dance.

Being a skilled musician, times were far more probable to find Luna up on the stage as the head entertainer for parties and events like this instead of actually indulging in the festivities as a mere party-goer, and as such, she was very rarely given the chance to actually hit the dance floor while a different committee took care of the music. But thanks to a professional team that included tonight's skillful DJ, the entire party was in good hands, allowing her the rare opportunity to enjoy the fun of a grand celebrational event without care and with her family.

"You know, whatever you said to Little Bro really did him some good," Luna whispered to her dancing partner as the fond memory of dancing with Lincoln three songs ago surfaced in her mind. "I may have taught him how to rock out at his first concert, but I didn't know he could master the dance shoes for these slow jams."

Luan nodded wistfully, for she was clearly remembering _her _dance with Lincoln that evening. It was all in the way her face maintained her expression of bliss. "Yeah, no kidding, huh?" she agreed as she led Luna in a side-step. "He's nowhere near as bad a dancer as he claimed he was."

"Probably just nervous to put his secret talent out in the spotlight," Luna reasoned, letting Luan twirl her around. "He was a bit shaky in his steps, but deece' enough. But I could see it in his face; he was having a swell time. You really did cheer him up, so good on ya, brah. And speaking of which, you're pretty light on your feet too."

The comedienne beamed proudly and for a good reason that Luna knew well: making people smile was Luan's ultimate mission. Her passion in life. A passion and a talent that Luan was exceptionally good at, given the right approach. But Luna had seen so many major improvements from Luan in the past year.

As they continued to dance, Luan swiftly swooped low, taking Luna with her as they stepped this way and that, around and around to the rhythm, briefly waving to Lana and Lola as they passed the pair, who were looping arms as they engaged in some kind of sloppy free-style jig. Whatever they called it, the important thing was that they were enjoying the party as much as their teen sisters were.

The song then arrived at its end. Luan and Luna let go of each other, the latter noting that they had waltzed right in front of the DJ table. Standing behind the controls on his raised platform, her bandmate and good friend Stuart Boothman picked up the mike and addressed the entire congregation of dancers with his amplified voice that instantly filled the grand ballroom:

"All right, everyone, we'll be closing this little party with one last slow song to remember us by! So, if you haven't had your chance to dance away with your special friend, now's your time to shine! Peace 'all."

As he started up the final song, Stuart glanced down at Luna and flashed her a knowing grin. Luna smiled back. _Thanks, Stu, _she mentally told him. She then turned back to her sister as the dance floor quickly filled up once again.

"What d'ya say, dude? One more time?"

Luan giggled with the look of a six-year-old hoping for another push on the swing set. Her teeth shined brighter than ever.

"You're leading this one," was all she said. Luna took that as a 'yes'.

They rejoined hands and placed their arms around each other preparing for the last slow dance of the night. As the Jasmine Thompson rendition of 'Thinking Out Loud' began to play, the mood changed: the lights dimmed to a cool blue filter as Luna skillfully led her sister into the dance this time, their bodies becoming mere silhouettes rising from the dance floor.

_When your legs don't work like they used to before__  
__And I can't sweep you off of your feet,__  
__Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love?__  
__Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks?_

Even though she was more inclined towards being an entertainer than a dancer, Luna expertly led Luan in the slow dance with skill and confidence while the latter simply followed through with the motions. She had no trouble dancing, not even in heels. She was born to play music, but could dance just as well.

_Darlin' I will be lovin' you__  
__Till we're seventy__  
__And baby my heart could still fall as hard__  
__At twenty-three_

Despite still getting over Lincoln's surprise knowledge in dancing, Luna was mildly impressed by Luan's dancing ability. It had never really occurred to her that her little sister had it in her; it just wasn't the sort of thing she pictured Luan to be associated with. _Shame that Sam doesn't rock the shoes for dancing,_ she thought, recalling the Astonishing Quest held two months ago. It was still a bit of a disappointment for her, since dancing was one of her passions after making music, but it had thankfully not dampened her developing relationship with her new girlfriend. But at this moment, Luna simply decided to forget that for now and just enjoy her last dance with Luan.

_I'm thinkin' 'bout how  
People fall in love in mysterious ways,  
Maybe just the touch of a hand_

_Well, me, I fall in love with you every single day,  
And I just wanna tell you I am_

Luna's eye caught a sudden sight. "Hey…look," she whispered. Luan turned her head and saw what Luna had seen: there, in the centre of the dance floor, was Lincoln. And he was dancing with Lucy.

She gushed silently. "Awww, look at them. That's so cute."

_So honey now,  
Take me into your lovin' arms_

_Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars  
Place your head on my beating heart_

_I'm thinking out loud  
Maybe we found love right where we are_

"I've never seen Linc so happy before," Luna murmured to her.

Luan responded to this by leaning comfortably into Luna's shoulder. "Same with Lucy," she hummed. "She's probably as happy as I am now."

Luna smiled and pulled her a little closer.

_When my hair's all but gone and my memory fades  
And the crowds don't remember my name  
When my hands don't play the strings the same way,_

_I know you will still love me the same_

_Cause honey your soul can never grow old  
It's evergreen  
And baby your smile's_

_Forever in my mind and memory_

Luan closed her eyes contently as she let her head rest upon Luna's shoulder. Luna gazed down at her as she continued to lead them, her eyes slowly finding their way to Luan's wrist, upon which a familiar purple bracelet looped around for her to see. Her heart glowed warmly.

_I'm thinkin' bout how  
People fall in love in mysterious ways  
Maybe it's all part of a plan_

_Well, I'll just keep on making the same mistakes  
Hoping that you'll understand_

Now Luna closed her eyes too as she held her sister close, feeling her warmth and presence draw her troubles far from her.

They had come a long, _long_ way.

_But baby now (ooh),  
Take me into your loving arms (ooh)_

_Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars_

_Place your head on my beating heart_

_I'm thinking out loud  
Maybe we found love right where we are  
Maybe we found love right where we are  
We found love right where we are_

As the song came to close, Luna completed their dance by twirling Luan around and bringing her into a closing dip. Luan opened her eyes as she did this, and the girls locked gazes with each other once more.

"Luna?"

"Yeah, dude?"

Luan opened her mouth, but then hesitated. "N-nothing," she said, looking away.

Still holding her in the dipped position, Luna was not going to let her get away that easily. "Come on, dude, spill. What's up?"

Luan blushed lightly as she gazed back up at her. "It's silly, but…I-I know it's been almost a year now, but…I'm really glad you're back."

Luna looked down at her for a moment before smiling gratefully. "So am I, Luan," she hummed. Her mind slowly recalled Sam and Stuart's words from that cool summer's night in Wisconsin the previous year.

Whether miracles existed or not, Luna knew one thing as she gazed down at her little sister held securely and snuggly in her arm:

She believed in what she saw right in front of her this very moment.

**THE END**

* * *

_A/N: Do you recognize this setting now? Yes, you're quite right. It is indeed the same dance that took place in the fifth story of this series, Not Dancing on My Own, cleverly interweaved from one story to another. If you can recall, Lincoln briefly spotted Luna and Luan engaged in the first of their two dances just before he reached out to Lucy. Truth be told, he really had no idea what was going on between his elder sisters. But now you do._

_And so, we have reached the happy ending to our story. For one that was originally meant to be scrapped and never released, I think it came out all right. If you read all the way to the end, I cannot thank you enough. Seriously._

_I'll see you all soon in the next story. Leave your thoughts and suggestions for future stories in the review roster; I love to hear from you! And as always, thank you once again for joining me on this ride. Have a great day, everybody. Peace._

_Song used:_ _'Thinking Out Loud' (Jasmine Thompson version)_

* * *

…

…

…

_**Next time on Fanfiction, a certain little prankster gets more than bargained for when a perfect prank on an unsuspecting musician backfires spectacularly on himself…with unexpected consequences that may help them both in their secret plights.**_

"Well, he's a complete idiot. But I couldn't just leave him on my front step."

The distinctly jolly voice of Fix-It Felix chuckled. "That's my girl! Always looking out for others, even if they aren't too kind in return. That's the way! Well, I think my work here is done. Give me another call if he's not feeling 100% in the next hour or so, and I'll give him a few more taps."

"Of course. Thanks, Daddy. Anna, I think your hair is still showing some green just behind your ear."

He heard Snowanna growl. "I swear, if I ever catch him even _near_ my house again, I'm gonna strangle him! I MEAN it this time! I'd do it to him now, if he wasn't so beat up already. Well…good luck, Lina. You sure you don't want me to stick around and help you deal with him when he wakes up?"

"I'll be fine, thanks. Good night, you two."

Two sets of footsteps resounded after this exchange, growing fainter and fainter until they disappeared from Gloyd's earshot. With the sugar-coated gears in his mind finally whirring into action, his eyes snapped open, the sudden exposure to light and an unfamiliar space making his sight all distorted. When his eyes finally came into focus, they locked immediately with the honey-amber eyes of Crumbelina DiCaramello herself. He found that he was lying upon some kind of couch with the girl looking down at him, shooting him a look of deepest disapproval.

"All right, Orangeboar, enough snoozing," she said flatly in a very sour tone mixed with a shimmer of relief. "You've napped long enough."

Gloyd blinked at her and tried to sit up from the couch he was lying on, suddenly finding it difficult as there was a bothersome throbbing in his skull. He reached up to rub his head and was surprised to find his signature pumpkin hat was missing. "Wha-wha-what happened? Where am I?"

"You are in my house," she said patiently, her voice laced with a slight Italian accent that Gloyd found rather intriguing. Soothing, almost, and definitely easy on the ears. He rarely got to hear Crumbelina speak, let alone talk to her directly.

"Consider yourself lucky," she went on. "That was a nasty spill you're recovering from."

"What happened?" he asked again as he slowly took in his new environment. He recognized Crumbelina's massive living room, having been here on a few rare occasions, but his brain had yet to catch up as to why he was in here. Not very easy, since using his brain for thinking and remembering seemed to be making the throbbing worse.

Crumbelina sat down on the other end of the couch, putting considerable distance between them. She raised an unimpressed eyebrow, clearly indicating that she was _not _happy with him. "I was going about my business when I heard a blast and someone yelling at my front door, followed by a loud thump. Imagine my surprise when I find a giant mess on my doorstep: _you_ of all people lying unconscious, covered with cherry syrup and a brand-new sack of flour lying on top of your squashed hat. One I assume was taken from the Kart Bakery, hm?"

"Y-yeah," he mumbled, feeling a little embarrassed now as the memory of what had happened slowly came back to him. "Wait…the sack…hit me? It didn't break open?"

"Obviously not. Those things are sealed tightly, Gloyd. They're not going to split upon impact."

"Oh."

_**Catch the whole story, coming soon!**_


End file.
